New Orleans Pelicans Players that will impact playoff match-ups in April

Utah Jazz: Nikola Mirotic

The Utah Jazz has been the third best defensive team in the league this year. And yes, much of this comes from their perimeter, filled with incredible defenders like Ricky Rubio, Donovan Mitchell, Joe Ingles, Jae Crowder and Royce O’Neale. But the head of their defensive snake will always be Rudy Gobert.

With the Gobstopper on the court, the Jazz only allows 97 points per 100 possessions. His tree branches make even the speediest of drivers think twice about getting to the rim, and his -8.7% shot differential within six feet is one of the league’s best. He currently leads the league in DRPM at 5.46, as well, .79 points above the next highest.

So how do the New Orleans Pelicans counteract Gobert’s brilliance near the rim? Attempt to stretch him out of there. And the man for that job is Nikola Mirotic.

With Mirotic on the floor next to Davis at centre, the Pels might be able to get Gobert out of the paint, creating more driving space for guards.

Furthermore, Gobert’s one defensive weakness is his perimeter defense, as opponents shoot 3.5% better against him from outside of 15 feet than compared to the average competition. Plus Gobert is not a good enough offensive player to take advantage of his smaller matchup on the other end, as he lacks a diverse offensive arsenal.

This leaves the Jazz with pretty sorry options: take Rudy Gobert, perhaps their best player, out of the game, for a better offense, resulting in a worse defense, have him chasing Nikola Mirotic around the perimeter, match him up with the quicker Anthony Davis or park him in the paint, risking more open three-point attempts.