Utah Jazz: Rudy Gobert Logs First 25-25 Game of the Season
Rudy Gobert was incredible in the Utah Jazz’s latest win against the Dallas Mavericks, logging the first 25-point, 25-rebound game of the season.
The Utah Jazz have sure made a habit lately out of giving their fans heart attacks by playing in too close for comfort contests before snatching victories in the final minutes of games. Friday’s bout against the Dallas Mavericks was no exception.
It took everything the Jazz had to overcome a slow start, questionable officiating and George Hill fouling out in regulation to finally snatch an overtime victory over the Mavericks by a score of 112-107.
And there’s no questioning that the game ball belongs to none other than Rudy Gobert. The Stifle Tower was clutch all night long as he came up with key rebounds, played his usual incredible defense, made some big buckets and helped the Jazz seal the deal with solid play in overtime.
Rudy Gobert with the first 25 point, 25 rebound game for any player this season pic.twitter.com/QBGw6dW02I
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) January 21, 2017
And, oh yeah, in doing all that he finished the game with an incredible 27 points and 25 rebounds. Both numbers were career-highs and the first time that a player had recorded 25 points and 25 rebounds in a game since Dwight Howard on January 18th 2016.
#TakeNote of Rudy Gobert.
The @utahjazz big man goes for career highs in points (27) & rebounds (25) in OT win!#SAPStatLineOfTheNight pic.twitter.com/aD3ipkS9mx
— NBA.com/Stats (@nbastats) January 21, 2017
Rudy Gobert is the first player with at least 25 pts & 25 rebs in a game since Dwight Howard on January 18, 2016. #TakeNote pic.twitter.com/2olqUKCshm
— NBA.com/Stats (@nbastats) January 21, 2017
He also did it while shooting 8-of-11 from the field and, for him, a respectable 11-of-17 from the foul line. Luckily for the Jazz, in one key occasion in overtime where Gobert missed both of his free throws, he was able to grab the rebound and dish the ball over to Joe Johnson for a critical and likely game-saving three-pointer.
Big Shot Joe with the biggest shot of the game! ???????? Tonight's @AFCU Instant Rewind! ⏪ pic.twitter.com/HEYlPLBunX
— Utah Jazz (@utahjazz) January 21, 2017
It would be one of his 10 offensive rebounds which of course is another impressive number in and of itself. The Mavericks were the worst rebounding team in the league coming into the game, and there’s no question that Rudy took full advantage.
And on top of his career night and putting up the lone 25-25 game of the season so far, he also did this:
RUDY! ????#TakeNote #UTAatDAL pic.twitter.com/R2WnNLpVL7
— Utah Jazz (@utahjazz) January 21, 2017
So yes, as you can see there is no questioning that it was a big and impressive night for Rudy Gobert who seems to solidify his case as an All-Star more and more with each passing game. It was also big for the Jazz who have now won five straight games and are within one game of fourth place in the West.
A look back at Gobert's evolution over the last few years. @rudygobert27 #takefnnote #UTAatDAL pic.twitter.com/2QbIbxazwR
— zac (@ZacLambert) January 21, 2017
They’ll have little time to relish in Rudy’s big night or the clutch victory, however, as they’ll be back in action right away with the second game in as many nights on Saturday evening where they’ll play host to the Indiana Pacers.
The Pacers are coming in on the second night of a back-to-back as well after suffering a tough loss to the Lakers on Friday night. Meanwhile the Jazz will be playing their second game in a rare stretch of four games in five nights.
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They’ll need more monster performances out of Gobert if they hope to survive that tough stretch so while logging another 25-25 night may not necessarily be plausible, so long as the Stifle Tower maintains even a portion of his recent dominance, it should mean good things for Utah in the games ahead.
Rudy proved once again in the win over Dallas just how much of a threat he truly is and little by little he is forcing the league to have no choice but to #TakeNote. With the first 25-25 game of the season and extending his franchise record of consecutive games with double figure rebounds to 29, there’s no telling just how many milestones Gobert will break in the games and seasons to come.