How Does Rudy Gobert’s Length Shut Down Driving Lanes?
Rudy Gobert’s impressive length plays a crucial role in answering the question, “How does Rudy Gobert’s length shut down driving lanes?” He has turned into one of the most formidable defensive players in the NBA. His height and wingspan allow him to dominate the paint and limit opponents’ drive chances.
The Importance of Length in Basketball Defense
In basketball, being tall is more than just a physical attribute; it has a pronounced effect on how well one can play defense. Tall players like Gobert can alter shots, get their hands on passes, and shut down drivers. And while tallness doesn’t guarantee good defensive play (hi, Shawn Bradley!), it does make such play much more likely. When considering how to quantify the good plays and also the bad plays that a player makes on defense, a few key stats jump out as being really important.
- With a wingspan measuring 7 feet 9 inches, Gobert’s arm reach is impressive.
- Over his career, he averaged 2.1 blocks per game.
- One of the main reasons that Rudy Gobert has been such a valuable player for the Jazz is that he has consistently ranked among the best in the league at accumulating defensive win shares.
And in a sense, win shares is a pretty simple metric; it boils down to the number of stops a player makes.
Besides just ranking stops, the formula for win shares factors in how a player is affecting the game with their defense. If they are stopping shots against a player who is a below-average shooter in general, that’s not as good as stopping a shot against a guy who is an above-average shooter. And Gobert makes stops against players who are great finishers.
He’s stopped shots against a bunch of guys who are really good at finishing plays.
Also, players with long reach can make defenders think harder about the decisions they make when driving to the basket. As a result, opponents are far less likely to test the waters and try to drive to the rim if they know they’re going to have to either go around or go through Gobert.
How Does Rudy Gobert’s Length Shut Down Driving Lanes?
For a truly insightful understanding of how Gobert’s exceptional length affects driving lanes, we must look at his methods of defense. Like any elite athlete, Gobert has trained his body to perform optimally in a few key areas. So we might examine, with these methods in mind, his performance in a set of situations that involve defensive driving and how well he closed those drives off.
- Tallness: Gobert employs his stature to leap and challenge attempts at scoring differently than a less tall player would—without getting whistled for fouls. He is, after all, 7…5.
- Positioning: He often looks ahead and positions himself to cut off drives to the nearest lane.
- Revision: Even if he doesn’t get a block, just being there keeps them from scoring.
Moreover, Gobert’s gift for rotating and assisting on defense allows him to eliminate numerous possibilities. When a playmaker penetrates to the cup, they could be gobbling up points (literally and figuratively) with a finish similar to what Jaren Jackson Jr. offers. But instead of JJJ, it’s Gobert up top: waiting, watching, and working in the air to make passes nearly impossible for anyone not playing in an NBA All-Star Game.
Statistics That Speak Volumes
Gobert’s influence over defense is something we can measure, not just something we can talk about. We can select certain games and say, “Look at this! This is why he’s so good!” For example, I could point to Gobert’s defense on Ja Morant in the playoffs against the Memphis Grizzlies in 2021 and say, “This is a perfect representation of why he’s good.” Of course, I’d be right.
- Gobert accumulated 3.5 blocks and changed many other attempts at the basket.
- Morant, recognized for his driving ability, converted just 39% of his shots during that playoff series.
- In addition, throughout the entire season, Gobert was a Top 10 performer in defensive rebounds for every game imaginable. And that speaks to not just his defending but also to his possessing, or reclaiming, the ball for his team. And you can make a strong argument that that skill (along with what he does on the other end of the floor) is the most underrated part of his game. He limits the opponent’s scoring opportunities. And when you do that, you help your team win.
Adapting to Modern Offenses
In the current NBA, offenses are constantly developing, with an increased focus on floor spacing and three-point shooting. But Gobert is not only keeping pace but also finding ways to capitalize on these opportunities to showcase his extraordinary skill set. He may be coming off the floor after defending against seven-footers in 2018, but he is now guarding more six-foot guards and forwards who have the downhill skill set to exploit the average NBA player’s lack of lateral quickness. Yet for as much trouble as those guys can give a defender and for as much space as they need to operate and for as many dribble moves as they make, Gobert represents the counterbalance to all of that.
Moreover, his communication skills on defense often receive accolades. Gobert is the kind of player who can direct teammates and ensure that everyone is well aware of their roles. That, along with his ability to cut off drives on the way to the basket, makes him an effective player, maybe the best defender in the league just a year after he kind of dropped off the map.
The Broader Implications of Defensive Mastery
Rudy Gobert’s length, in and of itself, should not be capable of shutting down driving lanes, but it does. Teams that can limit drives to the basket not only gain higher defensive ratings but also convert this into offensive opportunities. Going from defense to offense is how you get points in today’s game.
Gobert’s impressive defensive skills confer several remarkable advantages, such as:
- Decrease in rival shooting success rate close to the basket.
- Greater opportunities to initiate fast breaks because of securing defensive rebounds.
- The team’s overall morale is positively affected by strong plays on the defensive side.
As a result, organizations with elite defenders, such as Gobert, often find themselves in playoff contention. The ability to shut down driving lanes allows the play itself to be far more predictable, which in turn allows coaches to be far more effective strategizing against their opponents.
Conclusion: The Lasting Impact of Length and Defense
Rudy Gobert’s height is not just a physical trait; it’s a strategic asset. His skill at shutting down driving lanes transforms the very nature of games. This is especially true during high-intensity, high-focus moments when the kinds of defensive plays that can turn the tide of a game are attempted. And when it comes to those moments, Gobert is the one converting and stoppering with alarming regularity. How does Gobert accomplish this feat? By effecting it, first and foremost, with his wingspan. And then by honing Gobert’s Ginormous skillset into something that can not only keep opponents out of the paint but can make them ponder doing anything at all on the side of the court that Gobert currently occupies.
To conclude, the combination of length, talent, and basketball intelligence makes for a premier defensive player. Gobert is a clear example of just how much those three things can matter in a NBA world that’s growing ever more tilted in favor of offensive play. If teams want to gain a competitive edge, they ought to pay closer attention to the sorts of shifts and stops that make up court-side defense.
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