Donovan Mitchell on Rudy Gobert DPOY finalist honors: Are you surprised? I'm not

Eddie Sefko: Donovan Mitchell on Rudy Gobert being a finalist for DPOY: “Are you surprised? I’m not.” Added that Gobert had a huge impact on game 1 with only one shot from the field.
Source: Twitter @ESefko

What’s the buzz on Twitter?

Kurt Helin @basketballtalk
Rudy Gobert: If anyone not named Rudy Gobert had my season, they’d be clear Defensive Player of the Year favorite nba.nbcsports.com/2022/04/18/rud… – 4:01 PM Tim MacMahon @espn_macmahon
Rudy Gobert says he has room on the shelf if people decide “that the French guy can win a few more DPOY. … But I’m going to keep being the best Rudy I can be, and we’ll see where it takes me — and where it takes us.” pic.twitter.com/WLwqd2Mdwl – 2:07 PM Andy Larsen @andyblarsen
Donovan Mitchell, on Rudy Gobert being named a DPOY finalist: pic.twitter.com/aECU772dzI – 2:06 PM Tim MacMahon @espn_macmahon
Donovan Mitchell said after Game 1 to “continuously give Dorian Finney-Smith his credit.” Here’s Mitchell explaining why he thinks the Mavs F is one of the NBA’s best defenders: pic.twitter.com/lER4fApIiS – 1:55 PM Eddie Sefko @ESefko
Donovan Mitchell on Rudy Govert being a finalist for DPOY: “Are you surprised? I’m not.” Added that Gobert had a huge impact on game 1 with only one shot from the field. – 1:24 PM David Locke @DLocke09
LOCKED ON JAZZ is live in moments.
At youtube.com/channel/UCQxdU…
Topics
* The game was exactly as expected
* Dallas is thin without Luka Doncic and lacks ball handlers
* Rudy Gobert was a monster
* Great recognition all game – Donovan’s steal
* Look to Game 2 – 9:18 AM Bill Simmons @BillSimmons
New BS Pod: part 2 on the Anthony Edwards thing, Minnesota’s upset potential, middle fingers, Gobert, Simmons and more.
open.spotify.com/episode/6xz8n5… – 8:37 AM Eric Walden @tribjazz
Rudy Gobert is a finalist for DPOY pic.twitter.com/HtCapgjSCp – 6:29 PM Ben Anderson @BensHoops
Rudy Gobert is officially a finalist for the NBA Defensive Player of the Year. pic.twitter.com/Fab4N2oZd3 – 6:17 PM Jared Weiss @JaredWeissNBA
Marcus Smart has been named a finalist for Defensive Player of the Year alongside Mikal Bridges and Rudy Gobert, per the NBA. – 6:16 PM Ryan Miller @millerjryan
Rudy Gobert is a finalist for what would be his 4th defensive player of the year award.
Marcus Smart and Mikal Bridges are the other two finalists. – 6:15 PM Andy Larsen @andyblarsen
Rudy Gobert will at least be in the top-3 for DPOY. Marcus Smart, Mikal Bridges the other finalists. – 6:14 PM Duane Rankin @DuaneRankin
Mikal Bridges, Rudy Gobert and Marcus Smart #NBA Defensive Player of The Year finalist. #Suns pic.twitter.com/8WejAFczZ5 – 6:13 PM Anthony Chiang @Anthony_Chiang
Bam Adebayo not one of the three finalists for Defensive Player of the Year. Bridges, Gobert and Smart are the three DPOY finalists.
Erik Spoelstra is a finalist for Coach of the Year along with Taylor Jenkins and Monty Williams. – 6:11 PM Ira Winderman @IraHeatBeat
Bam Adebayo NOT a finalist for Defensive Player of the Year. It’s Rudy Gobert, Marcus Smart, Mikal Bridges. – 6:10 PM Barry Jackson @flasportsbuzz
Bam not even a finalist for defensive player of year. Mikal Bridges, Gobert and Smart are finalists just announced. – 6:10 PM Gerald Bourguet @GeraldBourguet
Mikal Bridges joins Marcus Smart and Rudy Gobert as the 3 finalists for the NBA’s Defensive Player of the Year award – 6:10 PM Stephen Noh @StephNoh
The NBA stats page tracked 49 Donovan Mitchell passes in Game 1. Exactly one went to Rudy Gobert.
https://t.co/nWuacivw3t pic.twitter.com/dNpotDABct – 9:24 AM Ben Anderson @BensHoops
The playoffs are about stars, and the @Utah Jazz had theirs, while the @Dallas Mavericks didn’t in an important game one decision.
On Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert carrying the Jazz to a crucial series opening victory.
#TakeNote
kslsports.com/?p=484352 – 5:36 PM Tony Jones @Tjonesonthenba
Donovan Mitchell: I wanted to get into attack mode in the second half – 4:26 PM Tony Jones @Tjonesonthenba
Utah defeats Dallas 99-93 to take Game 1 of this series. Donovan Mitchell scores 30 of his 32 in the second half. Bogdanovic with 26….the Jazz withstand a furious Dallas rally in the fourth quarter
On to Game 2 on Monday night – 3:45 PM StatMuse @statmuse
Donovan Mitchell in game 1:
32 PTS
6 REB
6 AST
10-11 FT
He had 30 in the second half. pic.twitter.com/11GfljHza3 – 3:44 PM Ben Anderson @BensHoops
The Jazz 28 third quarter points where their best so far in game one.
But six turnovers is an issue, they can’t get too dependent on Donovan Mitchell scoring in iso. – 3:05 PM Eric Walden @tribjazz
Donovan Mitchell starts the 4Q on the bench. How long does he stay there? – 3:04 PM Tas Melas @TasMelas
It just takes one play. Donovan Mitchell was cold in the first half, but then had a deflection come right back to him to start the third, hit an open J, and has looked so much better since. pic.twitter.com/iMbL80dcH1 – 2:57 PM Brad Townsend @townbrad
Per NBA Courtside: Donovan Mitchell accounts for 82.6% of the team’s points in the 3rd quarter (19 points, 0 assists, 0 points created from assists) – 2:55 PM Eddie Sefko @ESefko
Donovan Mitchell has outscored the Mavericks in the third quarter 19-13 and the Jazz have moved ahead 68-56 with 2:37 left in the quarter. – 2:54 PM Tony Jones @Tjonesonthenba
Kidd put Davis Berrtans on the floor for more shooting because Josh Green couldn’t make a shot, but he’s food defensively and Donovan Mitchell hunted that immediately. Mitchell has 17 in the third quarter and the Jazz have a 66-56 lead. 2:46 remaining – 2:50 PM Alex Kennedy @AlexKennedyNBA
Whew, good to see Donovan Mitchell looking like himself. – 2:50 PM Eddie Sefko @ESefko
Jazz have their biggest lead of the game at 64-55 after Donovan Mitchell’s jam. – 2:48 PM Ryan Miller @millerjryan
Donovan Mitchell gets hit (elbowed?) in the face on his drive to the hoop and immediately asks for a review. Refs oblige. – 2:36 PM Tony Jones @Tjonesonthenba
Donovan Mitchell is coming alive. Just being a lot more aggressive at getting to the rim. He has seven in the third quarter so far. Officials reviewing to see if there is a flagrant – 2:35 PM Andy Larsen @andyblarsen
Donovan Mitchell wants a review for flagrancy. It will indeed be reviewed. – 2:35 PM Ben Anderson @BensHoops
By the way, there’s nothing wrong with Donovan Mitchell being a decoy on offense by drawing the Mavericks best defenders on the wing.
But he has to use that to his advantage, no reason to force 9 shots in the second half if they aren’t there.
Draw double teams, move the ball. – 2:24 PM Marc Stein @TheSteinLine
Donovan Mitchell has only managed to outscore the sidelined Luka Doncic 2-0 in the first half … but Utah has snatched a 45-43 halftime lead with lots of Bojan Bogdanovic and the usual Rudy Gobert rim presence. Ten points each for Brunson/Dinwiddie but NOT on high efficiency. – 2:12 PM Ben Anderson @BensHoops
The good news for the Jazz is that Donovan Mitchell only needs to see one go down before he’s dialed in.
But he doesn’t need to force it, Jazz still best when they’re moving the ball and finding a mismatch. – 2:00 PM Tim MacMahon @espn_macmahon
Donovan Mitchell finally gets one to fall after missing his first six shots. Got a switch and attacked Davis Bertans. Dorian Finney-Smith and Reggie Bullock are making everything tough. – 2:00 PM Quinton Mayo @RealQuintonMayo
Donovan Mitchell seems a bit disinterested. – 2:00 PM Alex Kennedy @AlexKennedyNBA
Donovan Mitchell is still scoreless. He’s 0-5 from the field (and 0-1 from three-point range). – 1:54 PM Callie Caplan @CallieCaplan
Mavs held Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell to a combined for 0 of 6 shooting, 2 points on 2 Rudy FTs in the first quarter. – 1:44 PM Ryan Miller @millerjryan
Donovan Mitchell 0 of 4 and 0 points after the first quarter and Jazz trail Dallas 23-20. – 1:42 PM Eddie Sefko @ESefko
Mavericks’ defense has done a number on Jazz, but on the other hand, Utah could feel pretty good about being down only 23-20 after a quarter considering leading scorer Donovan Mitchell has yet to ring up a point. – 1:42 PM Tony Jones @Tjonesonthenba
2:34 remaining in the first quarter. The jazz trail Dallas 21-16….kidd not playing around defensively. Mavericks are switching everything, but also keeping Dorian Finney-Smith attached to Donovan Mitchell and he’s yet to score. Dallas taking away all the threes as well – 1:33 PM Tony Jones @Tjonesonthenba
The Jazz are 3-8 from the field so far and have missed two threes….Donovan Mitchell is off to an 0-3 start – 1:24 PM Marc Stein @TheSteinLine
Just walked away from a pregame TV visit with Jalen Brunson and walked right into a good bit of the Knicks’ braintrust: William Wesley and Allan Houston are here for Jazz at Mavs.
To scout Brunson? To scout Donovan Mitchell? Just to enjoy the very first first-round playoff game? – 12:54 PM Sam Amick @sam_amick
If Donovan Mitchell truly believed that it was “the same old shit,” then what did that say about this Utah group? The Jazz star knew he’d sent the wrong message, so he talked to his team about how to fix it and the road ahead.
More here, at @TheAthletic
theathletic.com/3253228/2022/0… – 12:38 PM Nate Duncan @NateDuncanNBA
Clips making CJ look like Donovan Mitchell last year – 12:11 AM Brad Townsend @townbrad
Donovan Mitchell says Jazz can’t afford to lose focus against Mavs in games Luka Doncic misses dallasnews.com/sports/maveric… – 7:56 PM David Locke @DLocke09
Top 10 pts per drive (top 100 drivers in NBA)
1. Giannis Antetokounmpo
2. DeMar DeRozan
3. Damian Lillard
4. Jordan Poole
5. Luka Doncic (most in NBA)
6. Bogdan Bogdanovic
7. Zach LaVine
8. Karl Anthony Towns
9. LeBron James
10. Eric Gordon
Donovan Mitchell 14th – 4:50 PM David Locke @DLocke09
Top 10 pick and roll players (top 100 picks in NBA)
1. Jrue Holiday
2. Chris Paul
3. Trae Young
4. Seth Curry
5. Donovan Mitchell
6. DeMar DeRozan
7. Kevin Durant
8. Luka Doncic
9. Trent Forrest – yes that Trent Forrest
10. Jordan Clarkson – 4:43 PM David Locke @DLocke09
Donovan Mitchell is in the top 15 of pick and roll combinations with Rudy Gobert, Hasaan Whiteside and Royce O’Neale. Trae Young (Capela and Gallinari) and Chirs Paul (Crowder and Ayton) are both in top 15 with two pic.twitter.com/MEEEx9Nvpz – 4:36 PM David Locke @DLocke09
Mike Conley ran nearly 2x as many pick and rolls with Rudy Gobert this year than Donovan Mitchell.
Just thought I would share – 4:30 PM The Ringer @ringernba
If the Jazz decide to blow it up and separate Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert, who should go? #TheVoidNBA
📺: https://t.co/U5rZslvlc7 pic.twitter.com/OU5jdzM3BG – 4:09 PM Brad Townsend @townbrad
Utah just wrapped up practice at SMU. I asked Donovan Mitchell whether the Jazz have been prepping with a Plan A and Plan B with Doncic’s uncertain status. He said he’s assuming Doncic won’t play Game 1. pic.twitter.com/9fCRp7C5BO – 2:02 PM

More on this storyline

Mark Haynes: Steve Kerr didn’t know Jordan Poole wasn’t a finalist for the MIP award. “JP, that’s shocking to me. I didn’t know that…They all are worthy candidates, but I think Jordan should be in there.” -via Twitter @markhaynesnba / April 18, 2022 CJ Holmes: I asked Jordan Poole about not being named a finalist for Most Improved Player: “It is what it is.” Sure he would’ve liked to win the award, but that’s not his focus right now. -via Twitter @CjHolmes22 / April 18, 2022 Ryan Miller: Rudy Gobert on being a DPOY finalist: “When you’re younger, you really put a lot of thought into those things, those little recognitions. … It’s on your mind way more than it is when you get older and you see the bigger picture.” -via Twitter @millerjryan / April 18, 2022