NBA Rumors: Utah Jazz’s Rudy Gobert To Miss Game 2 vs LA Clippers

NBA Rumors: The Utah Jazz will be without Rudy Gobert, who is recovering from a hyperextended knee, for Game 2

Thanks in large part to a huge performance from Joe Johnson – or Mr. Seven-Time – the Utah Jazz did just enough to overcome the loss of Rudy Gobert in the opening minutes of Game 1 to steal homecourt advantage away from the LA Clippers in their opening round playoff matchup.

Even though no structural damage was revealed after an MRI, Gobert is officially out for Game 2 and will likely miss more time. Gobert was officially diagnosed with a hyperextended knee.

"[via The Salt Lake Tribune]"

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"At least for one game, the Utah Jazz are going to have to make due without Rudy Gobert.The Jazz center will miss Tuesday’s Game 2 against the Los Angeles Clippers with a hyperextended knee, The Salt Lake Tribune has learned. Gobert was originally hurt 11 seconds into Saturday’s Game 1, when he knocked knees with Clippers forward Luc Mbah A Moute while setting a screen, causing the hyperextension.An ensuing MRI revealed no structural damage to the knee."

The Jazz played relatively fine against the LA Clippers after Gobert went down with the injury in Game 1, and a big part of that was the aforementioned Johnson performance and Derrick Favors stepping up in a big way – Favors logged 15 points and six rebounds on 32 minutes, the biggest workload he’s seen since he’s return from injury.

However, it would be unfair to ask for the Jazz to continue to play at this level without Gobert the rest of the series. Even though the Jazz did steal Game 1 and homeourt advantage, odds are that they’re going to eventually need him at some point this series – and probably sooner rather than later.

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Question is, will that time come in Game 2? Either way, Utah has a huge opportunity in front of them.