Rudy Gobert "Greatest Jazz Center of All Time" Countdown Thread

[gregbroncs]

If the thread is about accomplishments (which I believe it is) then Gobert still has a long ways to go to catch Eaton. I think we forget how great the '88 Laker series was. It's a great thread that should run its course.

If it's just about who is better, then it's Gobert and it's not even close! As someone who watched Eaton's career, not just his box scores and highlights, I would take Gobert over him 100x without hesitation. Just my opinion, of course.

BTW does anyone remember Big Mark sitting out virtually the entire '84 Nuggets series because of their team speed? Can you imagine that with Rudy? "Get him out of there! Issel's running circles around him!!"

The Rules back then were different the changes in the illegal defense call is a big help to slower players than it was back then. I love Gobert but I have to see more before picking him over Eaton. If Eaton is on our championship teams instead of Tag we win those series. Probably with Gobert as well but even back then the physicality of the game would hurt Gobert's effectiveness.

 

[seattlejazzfan]

Gobert > Eaton, but if people want to hold off because Rudy's career is still so young, I get that too.

 

[bjwsan]

Countdown thread... so, Gobert doesn't YET have the numbers, but we ALL hope, and believe he will.
But, 'things changed' when Rudy started those 29 games... was it Snyder's defensive scheme starting to take hold... or was it the attitude of Rudy, defining the team?
I don't think it will be a very long 'countdown' before the majority agree Rudy is the best Jazz center...

 

[fishonjazz]

or was it the attitude of Rudy, defining the team?

It was this.

I remember going to the jazz scrimmage last summer (it was all the younger guys.... No Burks, Hayward, favors, or kanter) and noticing how the players all responded to and followed Gobert.

When the game was not going on Gobert was loose and having fun and the center of the other players attention.

Then the whistle would blow, the game would begin and Rudy was all business..... And he teammates followed his example.
He was covering so much ground defensively and making his teammates better defensively. Constantly communication and directing his teammates. And they seemed to love being directed by him


Then there was that game during the regular season when Gobert literally pushed kanter to try to get him into the correct position on defense.

Gobert is the leader of this team and makes the whole team look good defensively.

Favors is a really good defensive player too but remember the year before with favors starting almost all 82 games the jazz were dead last In the league defensively.
Subtract favors from that team and add Gobert. I guarantee we are not dead last in defense. We still would have had a crappy record but we would not have been dead last in defense.
Gobert would never allow it

 

[Stifle Tower]

^
Great post, fishonjazz. Already repped you for something else today.

OK, I was holding out based on stats (which I still think is valid). But you bring up enough points to put Gobert over Eaton right now. Rudy has definitely set the tone for Utah. And yes, he has gotten EVERYONE to turn it up on defense. We can say all we want about Quin's intensity, but players have to buy in to have that work. And Rudy has made sure everyone is buying in. And he hasn't been exempt from criticism; we saw a few times Quin having words with Rudy. Then Gobert goes out and just plays harder.

The Jazz never built around Eaton, as good as he was defensively. They ARE building around Rudy.

 

[Keefe]

It was this.

I remember going to the jazz scrimmage last summer (it was all the younger guys.... No Burks, Hayward, favors, or kanter) and noticing how the players all responded to and followed Gobert.

When the game was not going on Gobert was loose and having fun and the center of the other players attention.

Then the whistle would blow, the game would begin and Rudy was all business..... And he teammates followed his example.
He was covering so much ground defensively and making his teammates better defensively. Constantly communication and directing his teammates. And they seemed to love being directed by him


Then there was that game during the regular season when Gobert literally pushed kanter to try to get him into the correct position on defense.

Gobert is the leader of this team and makes the whole team look good defensively.

Favors is a really good defensive player too but remember the year before with favors starting almost all 82 games the jazz were dead last In the league defensively.
Subtract favors from that team and add Gobert. I guarantee we are not dead last in defense. We still would have had a crappy record but we would not have been dead last in defense.
Gobert would never allow it

Modstapo won't let me rep you.

 

[LogGrad98]

Gobert is going to destroy the NBA. If not this season then next. I am so excited I pee my pants on the regular, and not just for fun like usual.

 

[BabyPeterzz]

Gobert is going to destroy the NBA. If not this season then next. I am so excited I pee my pants on the regular, and not just for fun like usual.

Regular ****in Miles Davis up in here....

 

[Stifle Tower]

Gobert is going to destroy the NBA. If not this season then next. I am so excited I pee my pants on the regular, and not just for fun like usual.

 

[jjscap]

From the worst to best : )

 

[LogGrad98]

Very interesting graphic. Interesting to see how many folks who are viewed as good defenders fall somewhat short by this measure, such as Noah, Chandler and Millsap. If you ask most people who is the better defender, Love or Millsap, you would probably hear Millsap across the board. But Love is better by this stat. Interesting stuff.

 

[framer]

Meanwhile, Aldridge is a MUCH better defender than he is given credit for. . .

 

[colton]

The weird thing to me is the x-axis, the # of attempts. Why would players go at the rim so much more when Rudy is playing than when Kanter is playing?

 

[Hekate]

Meanwhile, Aldridge is a MUCH better defender than he is given credit for. . .

Probably one of the best post defenders in the game too.

 

[Saint Cy of JFC]

Meanwhile, Aldridge is a MUCH better defender than he is given credit for. . .

IDK about that.

 

[Saint Cy of JFC]

Probably one of the best post defenders in the game too.

Well he is an extremely oversize PF, so defending the post against most PF should be a piece of cake.

 

[Hekate]

The weird thing to me is the x-axis, the # of attempts. Why would players go at the rim so much more when Rudy is playing than when Kanter is playing?

Kanter played farther away from the rim. He defended mostly 4s.

Oh man, they exposed Dieng so badly. Well, that what happens when you can't raise your arms.

 

[♪alt13]

Very interesting graphic. Interesting to see how many folks who are viewed as good defenders fall somewhat short by this measure, such as Noah, Chandler and Millsap. If you ask most people who is the better defender, Love or Millsap, you would probably hear Millsap across the board. But Love is better by this stat. Interesting stuff.

I think in this instance it just means that
1)Millsap tries to chase guys down and make the tough play. Love doesn't get close enough for those to count against him.
2)Millsap's assignments are difficult, while Blatt/Lebron have done a good job of 'hiding' Love.

 

[Stifle Tower]

When was Paul Millsap ever considered a good defender?

 

[fishonjazz]

When was Paul Millsap ever considered a good defender?

This