Badly snubbed by his teammates in Game 1, Rudy Gobert reacts!

Excellent defensively in the precious Jazz victory in Dallas during Game 1 (99-93), Rudy Gobert was however copiously snubbed in attack. A situation obviously noticed in view of the improbable figures, and to which the French reacted to the microphones at the end of the game.

35 minutes of play… and 0/1 in shooting. This is the totally improbable offensive record of this Game 1 for Rudy Gobert, who did not lack the will to receive the leather but who was (too) often ignored by Donovan Mitchell and others. Weaned from the ball in attack and therefore from the volume of shots as no one has been in the history of the playoffs with such playing time in a match, the Frenchman gave everything in defense: 17 rebounds, 3 blocks, and a presence at all times.

Despite this ultra-complete defensive display, it’s hard not to dwell on all the times La Gobe was snubbed and reduced to the role of pure rebounder while his teammates sprayed wide – Spida, for example, took 29 shots on the whole meeting.

Rudy Gobert cuts short the controversy and shows himself to be exemplary

During the traditional post-match press conferences, the question was obviously put on the carpet when Gobert stopped in front of the microphones. But rather than sending tackles or showing any annoyance, the native of Saint-Quentin gave what seems to be the perfect answer in such a context:

Rudy Gobert: « I do hope I get more [field goal attempts] next game, but at the same time, I thought for the most part of the game we moved the ball. We talk about sacrifice, that’s what it’s about. » https://t.co/25OZr0LqHE

— Tim MacMahon (@espn_macmahon) April 16, 2022

Rudy Gobert: “I hope I will have more shots in the next game, but at the same time, I found that we moved the ball well for most of the game. We always talk about sacrifice, and that’s what it’s all about.

Justin Kubatko: “The only player in the last 60 playoffs who recorded more rebounds (than Gobert) by shooting only once or less: Dennis Rodman on May 13, 1991 (18 rebounds, 1 shot attempted)”.

As so often, even in the face of criticism or situations that are not easy to manage, the tricolor is irreproachable and preserves his team. A mature and classy attitude, which must necessarily be appreciated by Quin Snyder and by the Jazz front office.

It now remains to be seen if the Utah pivot will be served more in Game 2, or if the trend will be confirmed. Of course, no one is asking for a Gobert at theusage rate of a Joel Embiid or a Karl-Anthony Towns, the Frenchman’s offensive panoply being much more limited and his role different. A single shot in 35 minutes and almost no assists, on the other hand, strongly resembles an inverse excess.

A great professional as always, Rudy Gobert is absolutely not looking for controversy after the crucial victory won by his team. The Frenchman puts the team’s best interests above everything else, and that’s to his credit. Let’s hope that he will still be rewarded at the next meeting…