What's wrong with Rudy?

[Getting Traded]

I didn't see this thread before I posted mine, so I will delete it and post here:

I have been thinking about the reasons for Rudy's recent struggle and here's what I have come up with:

1. Both LA and notably GS were running the floor and beating Rudy down the court -- remember Black of LA getting some transition baskets running ahead of Rudy. And the Warriors were just flat out beating him to spots whether in transition or even in half court sets.

2. Both teams were grabbing, holding, and pushing Gobert out of the way and preventing him from getting the proper position. It is evident he needs to gain more strength to counter this.

3. He has fumbled a number of passes and rebounds the last two games -- fatigue could be a factor, or does he just need more hand strength. I think the more physical play that teams are using has been a factor.

4. He has been on a roll and going through a bit of a slump.

 

[veji1]

May be he's hitting the preverbal 'rookie wall' ?

(He didn't play much last year so that didn't count)

Exactly. He had reasonable minutes (15-20 minutes) for 2 months and a half and then they went up and he has spent the last month playing 35 minutes and a game every second day (15 games in a month). He is just gassed. Add to that the little soreness that come with it : a bit of ankle soreness and other things, and here you go.

It all makes perfect sense, and after the trade euphoria, it also brings home the need for a proper backup 5 : if Gobert is injured or just gassed and would need to play 25 minutes rather than 35, well Evans won't cut it.

I find it pretty normal : Gobert has never ever played so much so regularly, in Europe he played 30/40 games a season and only 15ish minutes a game, etc.

To me it is likely that his stats will be irregular until season's end : some good games, some bad games. the way he played for 15 or so games was surreal and he doesn't have enough wind to hold that up, yet.

 

[ijazz]

Teams are now preparing for Rudy....


Normal progress.....

Next step is Rudy Handles it better...and he will

 

[Dr. Jones]

I'd prefer they cut his minutes some, especially with B2Bs. I swear I'll set the building on fire if Utah doesn't manage Rudy's health extremely carefully. Error on the side of caution without exception.

Gyp texted me and asked me to bitch slap you for this.
err >>>>>>>>>>>>> error

 

[bezerkus]

I would say combination of things. He is getting used to play starter minutes day in and out, was properly scouted and perhaps to a lesser extent ankle still bothering him. Eventually teams will adjust their offense to void Rudy's presence but it's a good problem which should be addressed by coaching staff.

This. Exactly what I was thinking. Especially the starter minutes which is not talked about much. It does take it's toll on a new player just getting them.

 

[jope]

how to beat rudy (at this point in his development)

1) beat him down the floor and in transition
2) pump fake the **** out of him
3) push him out of the way
4) very high pick and rolls

Teams have begun figuring that out, and if you can beat rudy you can beat the whole team. The entire golden state broadcast pre-game show was focused on these things, and they employed it in the game, and it worked like a charm.

 

[couscous]

how to beat rudy (at this point in his development)

1) beat him down the floor and in transition
2) pump fake the **** out of him
3) push him out of the way
4) very high pick and rolls

Teams have begun figuring that out, and if you can beat rudy you can beat the whole team. The entire golden state broadcast pre-game show was focused on these things, and they employed it in the game, and it worked like a charm.

What scares me the most is #1. To play fast like we did against GSW, Gobert is more or less non-factor, perhaps his speed has suffered of late.

 

[NUMBERICA]

-Injured
-He's never had to adjust to scouting
-He's always had problems (and will likely to continue to have problems) with players that have real strength and size.

 

[Getting Traded]

The strength factor is definitely an issue but that doesn't mean Rudy won't get stronger, just as Hayward has.

I don't think it's only pure strength ... note that he has done well against guys his own size like Gortat and Gasol who are very strong. But guys who have a lower center of gravity and strength seem to give him trouble. Bogut, though, who is his own size seemed to own Rudy. That also might've been because the pace of the Warrior offense had taken him out of the game mentally.

 

[Doc Cherno]

I hear he took advantage of Kirilenko's once-a-year free-pass and feels confused now -- lost even.

 

[VINYLONE]

Personally, I am not worried. Gobert has earned a lot of benefit of the doubt with me and in all reality a few games does not make a trend. I'll worry when I need to. I did appreciate Freak's post up there though. It reminded me of the recent BS Report with Doug Collins. They touched on big guys, foot injuries and growth spurts.

 

[DForceAUS]

C'est possible qu'il est fatigue.

Oui je suis d'accord- may also be playing caution with his ankle

 

[veji1]

The strength factor is definitely an issue but that doesn't mean Rudy won't get stronger, just as Hayward has.

I don't think it's only pure strength ... note that he has done well against guys his own size like Gortat and Gasol who are very strong. But guys who have a lower center of gravity and strength seem to give him trouble. Bogut, though, who is his own size seemed to own Rudy. That also might've been because the pace of the Warrior offense had taken him out of the game mentally.

guys should remember how players like Barkley would abuse centers in the post in the 80s and 90s thanks to their lower center of gravity, just as I remember an NCAA game where Dejuan Blair utterly destroyed Hibbert that way. It's part of the characteristics Gobert will always have to some extent : he is freakishly long and nimble for his size, but the trade off is that his strength relative to his size is average (not low, he isn't a Shawn Bradley weakling, just not an ox). Bogut is a lot more groundbased and a lot stronger than Rudy and he managed to push him out of the way. Add to this as Jope said clever use of high pick and roll and Bogut freed lots of space for the ball handler in the PnR. Well done Warriors. Gobert will learn and so will the team. It is important for the team to be confronted to those clever offenses, they will learn how to read them and adapt.

 

[Jose_Ortiz_fan]

He just doesn't like you guys.

 

[CAKAR]

Rudy is great, he is a young player and up and downs have to be expected in times. I have almost no doubt, he will competere for DPOY next season...

 

[Diamond77]

Nothing is wrong with Gobert he is finally showing that he is human

Rudy is an energy player, once his stamina drops his game become less efficient. I hope he will improve offensively but I don't think he has a lot of room for improvement. Anyway his defensive impact is outstanding.

 

[sepulchre]

It is too early to be worried of something. All people have ups and downs. If he plays like this the rest of the season, then we can talk again.

 

[sojodave]

There is nothing wrong with Rudy. He is a beast. I know this may come as a shocker, but he can't block every shot, and he can't get every rebound. The Lakers have a joke of a roster, and GSW run and spread the floor so Rudy isn't able to be as big a factor.

 

[homeytennis]

There is nothing wrong with Rudy. He is a beast. I know this may come as a shocker, but he can't block every shot, and he can't get every rebound. The Lakers have a joke of a roster, and GSW run and spread the floor so Rudy isn't able to be as big a factor.

I would go with being tired and some new scouting reports on how to play against him.

 

[franklin]

Rutah is allowing 84.5 ppg in March. What's wrong with Rudy?