USA Today via Reuters
Jan 1, 2021; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert (27) reacts after a basket against the LA Clippers in the fourth quarter at Vivint Smart Home Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Swinger-USA TODAY Sports
USA Today via Reuters
Jan 1, 2021; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert (27) reacts after a basket against the LA Clippers in the fourth quarter at Vivint Smart Home Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Swinger-USA TODAY Sports
Rudy Gobert and the Utah Jazz defeated the New York Knicks in their second meeting of the season. After failing to defeat the Knicks in their first go-around, the Jazz bounced back, and are currently on a nine-game winning streak. It was a full circle victory for Utah, but it was by no means an easy win, given the tough and rugged defensive play from Tom Thibodeau’s New York Knicks.
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Rudy Gobert okay with ‘ugly’ team win
Gobert came forward after the game and defended their tactics against New York. He believes that the entire team learned their lesson after the first loss against the Knicks. And since then, they have been on a roll. But they understood that to match up against the Knicks, they have to play a similar style of bully basketball.
He said, “That’s exactly what we talked about the 1st time we played the Knicks. Even nights when we struggle offensively, we can still be in position to win the game … It’s really who we are, and now we understand it and embrace it more than ever.”
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Rudy Gobert, on the Jazz winning ugly: "That's exactly what we talked about the 1st time we played the Knicks. Even nights when we struggle offensively, we can still be in position to win the game … It’s really who we are, and now we understand it and embrace it more than ever."
— Eric Walden (@tribjazz) January 27, 2021
The Jazz has been excellent since losing to the Knicks in early January. The team currently has a 13-4 record in the NBA, the second-best in the league behind the Lakers. Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert look really dominant during their games against strong opposition, and their chemistry is unshaken after their falling out last year.
Utah Jazz – potential title contenders?
Currently, the Jazz are looking like a solid playoff team. After blowing a 3-1 lead to the Denver Nuggets last year, the franchise will be looking to return to the playoffs with an improved performance. And so far, they look likely to do just that, given how well they have been playing recently. However, the question remains whether they can keep up their form.
USA Today via Reuters
Jan 1, 2021; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert (27) flips the ball up for a basket and a foul by LA Clippers forward Nicolas Batum (33) at Vivint Smart Home Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Swinger-USA TODAY Sports
READ MORE: Rudy Gobert Comes Back With a Classy Response to Shaquille O’Neal’s Savage Comments on Social Media
Can the Utah Jazz continue this incredible winning streak? Right now, the team looks solid on all fronts of the court and must try to keep moving forward. However, they haven’t faced a solid title contender as yet during the run. Their first big challenge could come against the LA Clippers next month. But if they can continue, they surely be a bigger threat in the West.
