What's new
By:

BR: Rudy Gobert Absolutely Belongs in Defensive Player of the Year Conversation

Stifle Tower said:
Hook shots are pretty much indefensible. You have to get to the player from in front with a 2nd defender before he can get the ball up...or you have to keep the player from getting so deep. That's Rudy's achilles heel...he's not strong enough to keep players from getting position and continuing to push him underneath after they get the entry pass.
Click to expand...

Next year. . . next year. . .
 
Eenie-Meenie said:
I hope Rudy works on his vertical over the summer because it would help him block some of those hooks by big guys like Aldrich who can't jump but create space with their body and which elude Rudy by just a few inches.
Click to expand...

God no, I hope not : he is a 7'2 giant, you don't want him to jump too high because it will eventually hurt his back/legs : guys like Dwigth Howard or David Robinson ended up going downhill faster once they reached about 30 because of back problems that were consequences of their crazy jumping abilities. I want Gobert to become even more clever in his use of his body and arms and know even better when to jump, when to just raise his hands, when to edge around the post player to prevent him taking deep position, when and how to push better (even if with his frame it will never be his best characteristic).

What I want Gobert to do is to defend like a 7'2 with 9'7 standing reach Tim Duncan : be always there at the right spot at the right time, and do that for 15 years. He should gain a bit of strength because at age 22 and so tall there is still a bit of filling out going on (5/10 pounds not much), and because he will train and learn how to use positioning better. But jumping higher sure isn't the goal. Stay mobile, play clever, deter and do that until 2030. that's what I want from him.
 
Hook shots are hard to block. That said he has blocked at least 3-4 this year including one of the Gasol bros (think it was Marc). He has no business blocking a hook shot from a guy as big as the Gasol's but he got one of them.
 
Favors may have had a career night last night but Rudy continues to be the anchor. The monstrous engine that could. >12 boards again to go with 4 blocks and 3 steals. How is he NOT in the discussion for defensive player of the year. He has opponents afraid to enter the paint during the shootaround for hell's sake.
 
LogGrad98 said:
Favors may have had a career night last night but Rudy continues to be the anchor. The monstrous engine that could. >12 boards again to go with 4 blocks and 3 steals. How is he NOT in the discussion for defensive player of the year. He has opponents afraid to enter the paint during the shootaround for hell's sake.
Click to expand...

I feel like he is more likely a candidate for most improved this year. I think he just hasn't played enough as a starter this year to be seriously considered as DPOY. Next year he will be for sure assuming he keeps playing the way he has.
 
I think Linsanity hurts him as well. Nobody wants to show they are behind and vote for a guy that is a half season wonder only to have them fall flat on their faces the next season. He's got too many things going against him to win it. I think he'll absolutely be in the conversation by the end of the year but I just can't see anyway the voter's go out on a limb like that.
 
Gobert should definitely get votes and win the award next season, when he is a full-time starter from Game 1. But, I think this year should go to Anthony Davis. He will finish in Top 5 of MVP, so DPY should be his consolation prize.
 
Eaton in his prime averaged 4+ blocks per game over like a 4 season stretch and 3+ for what, like 8 seasons? Mutombo was similar. So was Olajuwon with like 7 seasons better than 3 blocks per game. And Robinson was in there too. Will Rudy ever reach those heights?
 
LogGrad98 said:
Eaton in his prime averaged 4+ blocks per game over like a 4 season stretch and 3+ for what, like 8 seasons? Mutombo was similar. So was Olajuwon with like 7 seasons better than 3 blocks per game. And Robinson was in there too. Will Rudy ever reach those heights?
Click to expand...

Not at his current rate. Teams just aren't shooting at the Rim enough with Rudy in the game. It is insane. Maybe once he gets scouted teams will be bolder about challenging him in the paint, but right now teams with Rudy experience tend to shoot a lot of jump shots. I remember Eaton challenging a lot of shots, but teams would still bring it at him, which is why he got a lot of blocks.
 
LogGrad98 said:
Eaton in his prime averaged 4+ blocks per game over like a 4 season stretch and 3+ for what, like 8 seasons? Mutombo was similar. So was Olajuwon with like 7 seasons better than 3 blocks per game. And Robinson was in there too. Will Rudy ever reach those heights?
Click to expand...
The game has changed. More jump shooting now days. And less posting up, which is when a lot of those players got blocks.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Share this page
Back
Top