Guarding in isolation with the game on the line, Rudy Gobert gets the massive stop on Kevin Durant
March 26, 2026
Guarding in isolation with the game on the line, Rudy Gobert gets the massive stop on Kevin Durant
17 comments
Hall of Famer locking up a Hall of Famer right there
For every possession like the Luka game winner in ISO against Rudy in the WCF two years ago, there are five clips like this of Rudy winning isolation possessions on the perimeter that never get talked about or highlighted again. He is so special on defense and so impactful overall, it’s crazy how many fans of this team still don’t give him his flowers because he’s not an aesthetically pleasing offensive player.
Rudy has impressed me so much this year. Add to his defensive heroics and HOF level screen setting, the fact that he is healthy, despite playing big minutes. Look at every other big man in the league – especially those over 30, and no one plays as many minutes and is as available as he is. He has his limitations, but the things he is good at, he is absolutely elite.
Man he looked like he was about to fall over 😂
I love how Rudy starts flexing lol he gets so hyped about defense and it’s awesome.
He was guarding 2 guys at the end at once and the way he recovered is so rare for big men!
Idc who you are… 7’0 super athletic 4X DPOY. Is gonna be hard to score on. Better blow by him because a mid range or 3 pt will probably be contested
It’s the same shit as getting postered. The only guys who don’t are terrible defenders who get out of the way. He gets brought to the perimeter because we don’t preswitch or hedge to protect him because he’s consistently not dogshit. Sometimes though, he’s gonna get cooked (like every defender ever)
About time Rudy gets good PR 😭
People kept yapping about the Sengun weakside block at the end of the game, but Rudy guarding KD from the 3 pt line in isolation, getting shooketh, recovering, blocking the shot, and then getting back onto defense was so much more impressive.
Not sure I’ve ever seen a KD jumper get blocked. Just like Dirk jumpers, they never get blocked
If KD didn’t do that extra dribble, that would’ve been money. Still, really impressed with Rudy for not giving up on that play.
I suppose stating that KD took an extra dribble is just a fact, but it comes off as trying to take a little away from Rudy. One less dribble means KD gets a highly contested shot off, so it’s got a lower chance than when KD is rising up over a smaller player. It’s just a tremendous play given that it’s KD and the magnitude of when it happened.
Rudy has been excellent this year the rebounding is on another level.
That was an awesome block
I’m always surprised why teams go at Rudy. Even in the playoffs, it seems like it’s a strategy opposing teams welcome.
He has been doing this for 13 years. The guy is a moose out there
Ankles broke, recover, all time block, then get back and break up the pass
17 comments
Hall of Famer locking up a Hall of Famer right there
For every possession like the Luka game winner in ISO against Rudy in the WCF two years ago, there are five clips like this of Rudy winning isolation possessions on the perimeter that never get talked about or highlighted again. He is so special on defense and so impactful overall, it’s crazy how many fans of this team still don’t give him his flowers because he’s not an aesthetically pleasing offensive player.
Rudy has impressed me so much this year. Add to his defensive heroics and HOF level screen setting, the fact that he is healthy, despite playing big minutes. Look at every other big man in the league – especially those over 30, and no one plays as many minutes and is as available as he is. He has his limitations, but the things he is good at, he is absolutely elite.
Man he looked like he was about to fall over 😂
I love how Rudy starts flexing lol he gets so hyped about defense and it’s awesome.
He was guarding 2 guys at the end at once and the way he recovered is so rare for big men!
Idc who you are… 7’0 super athletic 4X DPOY. Is gonna be hard to score on. Better blow by him because a mid range or 3 pt will probably be contested
It’s the same shit as getting postered. The only guys who don’t are terrible defenders who get out of the way. He gets brought to the perimeter because we don’t preswitch or hedge to protect him because he’s consistently not dogshit. Sometimes though, he’s gonna get cooked (like every defender ever)
About time Rudy gets good PR 😭
People kept yapping about the Sengun weakside block at the end of the game, but Rudy guarding KD from the 3 pt line in isolation, getting shooketh, recovering, blocking the shot, and then getting back onto defense was so much more impressive.
Not sure I’ve ever seen a KD jumper get blocked. Just like Dirk jumpers, they never get blocked
If KD didn’t do that extra dribble, that would’ve been money. Still, really impressed with Rudy for not giving up on that play.
I suppose stating that KD took an extra dribble is just a fact, but it comes off as trying to take a little away from Rudy. One less dribble means KD gets a highly contested shot off, so it’s got a lower chance than when KD is rising up over a smaller player. It’s just a tremendous play given that it’s KD and the magnitude of when it happened.
Rudy has been excellent this year the rebounding is on another level.
That was an awesome block
I’m always surprised why teams go at Rudy. Even in the playoffs, it seems like it’s a strategy opposing teams welcome.
He has been doing this for 13 years. The guy is a moose out there
Ankles broke, recover, all time block, then get back and break up the pass
