![]() ![]() ![]() Minnesota might have a bigger-than-expected challenge against Utah if the Jazz play like they did at home against the Denver Nuggets on Wednesday. "It's going to be a process and every night is going to be an opportunity for us to get better. "It shows how good we can be and how much better we can be at the same time," Gobert said. The performance also included two assists, one blocked shot, a steal and a sneak peek at why the Timberwolves gave up so much to pair "The Stifle Tower" with big man Karl-Anthony Towns, who had 12 points, seven assists and six rebounds alongside his new teammate. Gobert's big night in his Minnesota debut led to a 115-108 win over Oklahoma City. You know, I want to see these guys succeed, and I'm sure they want to see me succeed, too. "(To) see all the coaches on the sideline, even though Quin (Snyder) is not there anymore, it's still gonna be, yeah, it's all love for me. Those jerseys are a little different but still gonna be weird to play against someone with Utah on them," said Gobert, referring to Utah's offseason style switch that will have the Jazz occasionally wearing black and white jerseys with bright yellow accents. Gobert is looking forward to the "weird" matchup. The big Frenchman who scored 23 points and grabbed 16 rebounds in the Timberwolves' season-opening win is the same All-Star center who laid claim to three NBA Defensive Player of the Year trophies while patrolling the paint for the past nine years in Utah. ![]() Nonetheless, if anyone is capable of authoring a defensive season that simply cannot be denied, it’s likely Antetokounmpo.After each had successful debuts in their first games since parting ways this offseason, interactions might be a bit awkward in Minneapolis on Friday night when the Utah Jazz take on Rudy Gobert and the Minnesota Timberwolves. Without delving into a thorough exploration of armchair psychology, suffice it to say that it seems as if voters like rewarding new players with awards. If that trend continues, the superstar is unlikely to garner much consideration for the award.įurthermore, Antetokounmpo faces a barrier that’s outside of his control in voter fatigue (more on that later). Having said that, Antetokounmpo’s Defensive Rating took a major slide last season, from a league-leading 97 in 2019-20 all the way to 107. That’s such rarified air that you don’t even need a vaccination to safely breathe it. He became just the third player in NBA history to win both awards in a single season, joining Michael Jordan and Hakeem Olajuwon. In the second of those back-to-back MVP awards, Antetokounmpo also took home the 2019-20 Defensive Player of the Year award. It may have been the first season in two years that he didn’t walk away with the league’s MVP award, but we’re pretty confident he’s content with his Milwaukee Bucks’ NBA Championship. Antetokounmpo was the same two-way terror we’ve come to expect last season. Milwaukee Bucks fans may feel as if the Greek Freak is the rightful claimant to this award on an annual basis, and frankly, they may have a case. Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert vs Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo Here he is ranked among the other top candidate for the 2021-22 NBA Defensive Player of the Year award. Gobert will invariably be in the mix for his fourth award. Rudy Gobert has been the best rim protector in basketball for several years now, and that trend projects to continue into 2021-22. No matter: Utah Jazz fans should still like their guys’ odds. Furthermore, voters may have the image of Gobert struggling to defend against the Los Angeles Clippers’ five-out formations in the Western Conference semifinals fresh in their minds. The NBA is littered with elite defenders. The Defensive Player of the Year award may not hold the same luster as the Most Valuable Player award (as casual fans tend to underrate the impact of defense), but it’s still a prestigious honor.Īs always, the competition will be stiff. Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert is a 3x Defensive Player of the Year, but fans in Salt Lake City hope he won’t rest on his laurels in pursuit of a fourth trophy. Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert (Jeffrey Swinger-USA TODAY Sports) ![]()
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