Quin Snyder goes off on statistically-backed idea that Donovan Mitchell doesn’t pass to Rudy Gobert enough
Quin Snyder also made the point that, given what a prolific 3-point shooting team the Jazz are, sometimes they simply emphasize shooting more from beyond the arc, which also reduces the number of passes available for Rudy Gobert [including from Donovan Mitchell]. He also argued that many of the times the Jazz attempt to throw a lob to Gobert, opponents are zeroing in on such plays and selling out to disrupt the high pass to the big man. “Let’s just not try to drive a wedge between some of these players and especially using numbers. We should be more responsible than that,” Snyder said. “… We’re not playing great all the time. We want to play better. But you don’t get there by trying to say that one player’s not passing to another.”
Source: Salt Lake Tribune
What’s the buzz on Twitter?
Joe Mullinax @sbnGrizzlies
Hello friends. @JoeMullinax back with you for Grizzlies-Jazz. Here’s my keys to the game –
1. Get Desmond Bane going early – take advantage of the Jazz’s perimeter size issues.
2. Get Rudy Gobert on an island. Gobert thrives within team scheme. Try to force him to defend 1 on 1 – 9:03 PM
Ben Anderson @BensHoops
Quin Snyder strongly contested that narrative that Donovan Mitchell isn’t looking to pass the ball to Rudy Gobert before the @Utah Jazz hosted the @Memphis Grizzlies.
#TakeNote
kslsports.com/?p=483559 – 8:58 PM
Eric Walden @tribjazz
Ahead of Tuesday’s game vs. the Grizzlies, Utah Jazz coach Quin Snyder attacked a pair of narratives — about a lack of clutchness, and Donovan Mitchell not passing to Rudy Gobert — that he perceives as unfair criticisms of how his team plays. sltrib.com/sports/jazz/20… – 8:57 PM
Andy Larsen @andyblarsen
Before the game, Quin Snyder had a 19-minute, 3,058 word message for reporters, sharing his displeasure about 2 narratives around the team — that Mitchell doesn’t pass to Gobert enough, and that Utah loses 4th quarter leads.
We’ll have a story with those remarks for you shortly. – 8:44 PM
Ben Anderson @BensHoops
Quin Snyder opened tonight’s @Utah Jazz pregame media session by addressing the Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert passing controversy, and the blown double-digit leads.
Story coming @kslsports soon. – 7:48 PM
Ben Anderson @BensHoops
You absolutely HAVE to listen to the @Utah Jazz pregame show on the @ZoneSportsNet coming up at 6.
Quin Snyder addresses Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert’s passing controversy, plus the blown double-digit leads.
kslsports.com/thezonefm/ – 7:44 PM
Drew Hill @DrewHill_DM
Quin Snyder started his pregame press conference with a 7-minute monologue essentially blasting the reporting on Utah’s blown leads and attempts to “drive a wedge” between Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert. – 7:29 PM
Ben Anderson @BensHoops
The @Utah Jazz end of season award campaign for Donovan Mitchell to earn All-NBA honors.
#TakeNote pic.twitter.com/Y9Q6FzJFfe – 5:54 PM
Ben Anderson @BensHoops
The @Utah Jazz end of season award campaign for Rudy Gobert to earn DPOY and All-NBA honors.
#TakeNote pic.twitter.com/yRncXaB1VP – 5:54 PM
Andy Larsen @andyblarsen
Donovan Mitchell on the team’s vibes going in to the final week: pic.twitter.com/uRHpwshpHj – 1:19 PM
Andy Larsen @andyblarsen
Donovan Mitchell’s full response at shootaround this morning when he was asked about the number of times he passes to Rudy Gobert per game: pic.twitter.com/OTez0jURfz – 1:07 PM
Donovan Mitchell @spidadmitchell
Damn @tpinsonn – 11:36 PM
Donovan Mitchell @spidadmitchell
Shoutout to Remy Martin just cause of the name 😂😂😂 – 11:28 PM
Donovan Mitchell @spidadmitchell
Johnson out here hoopin!! – 11:18 PM
Donovan Mitchell @spidadmitchell
Bruh they need continuation in college…. Some of these should be And 1’s‼️‼️ – 10:10 PM
StatMuse @statmuse
Might be something but probably nothing:
Rudy Gobert averages almost twice more passes to Donovan Mitchell (4.5) than Mitchell to Gobert (2.3) this season. pic.twitter.com/yQXfbBu6LZ – 4:39 PM
Mark Haynes @markhaynesnba
It was a huge night for Klay Thompson at the expense of Rudy Gobert.
#DubNation
clutchpoints.com/warriors-news-… – 1:00 PM
Anthony Slater @anthonyVslater
Warriors stretch the floor on a dropping Rudy Gobert, stun Jazz in what could be taste of the first round theathletic.com/3226149/2022/0… – 1:29 AM
Anthony Slater @anthonyVslater
The Jazz stayed in drop coverage with Rudy Gobert while Klay Thompson rained in fourth quarter 3s to bring the Warriors back.
“Not very smart”
“I’m not surprised, but I’m grateful.”
Klay soundbite/clips pic.twitter.com/OP6nDX1v3l – 11:52 PM
Mark Haynes @markhaynesnba
Klay Thompson on how Rudy Gobert defended him:
“It’s not very smart.” – 11:43 PM
Andy Larsen @andyblarsen
Rudy Gobert: “We got to learn from it. Hopefully we can adjust.”
I feel bad for him. He can’t say anything else: when he’s accurately critical of the team, he gets pushback. He’s been self-critical before, too. So all that’s left is cliches, but they’ve all been said before. – 11:25 PM
Eric Walden @tribjazz
Rudy Gobert, shaking his head over and over: “It’s tough. It’s tough. I don’t know how many times it’s gonna happen.” – 11:20 PM
Andy Larsen @andyblarsen
My goodness. What a mess from everyone — except for Conley, who doesn’t deserve to be lumped in the negative category. But Gobert with a few critical mistakes here late, Mitchell has missed shots. Royce still has 0 pts, 4 TOs. – 10:53 PM
Nate Duncan @NateDuncanNBA
Jazz started getting stops now that they’ve brought Gobert up to the level on these screens for Poole. – 10:52 PM
Andy Larsen @andyblarsen
The Jazz had the stop… and then Gobert threw the ball away! – 10:52 PM
Marcus Thompson @ThompsonScribe
Wait, the Warriors went at Gobert???? And it worked???? You don’t say … – 10:49 PM
Andy Larsen @andyblarsen
Gobert offensive goaltends a basket by Conley that was going in! This is an incredible level of mistake making. – 10:45 PM
Anthony Slater @anthonyVslater
Klay Thompson: 36 points, eight 3s. Jordan Poole: 27 points, six 3s. That’s 20 made 3s for the Warriors, shooting over the top of a sagging Rudy Gobert. A stunning fourth quarter comeback. – 10:43 PM
Nate Duncan @NateDuncanNBA
Poole and Thompson are a combined 12-26 from 3. A direct result of the Jazz’ strategy of having Gobert hang back under the rim, all they have to do is come off a screen and they’re open. – 10:37 PM
Andy Larsen @andyblarsen
You know, thinking about a potential Jazz/Warriors series… I’m not sure the Warriors can put a 5-man shooting lineup together that can challenge the Jazz’s POA defense. Gobert can always hide on Dray or GPII or Iggy or something, and help at the rim. – 10:23 PM
Tony Jones @Tjonesonthenba
Good stuff by Gobert there. Warriors blitz the PNR, Rudy slips the screen, Conley hits him and Rudy goes strong to the bucket – 10:23 PM
More on this storyline
As for the play where Gobert had Thompson sealed and could have easily scored, had he gotten the ball, Snyder insisted that using a freeze-frame still image probably doesn’t accurately tell the story of how the play really unfolded, and even if it does, using one singular play as the proof that Mitchell doesn’t pass to Gobert is inaccurate and irresponsible. “The suggestion that Donovan would look Rudy off when Rudy’s deep in the paint …” Snyder began, letting the unfinished sentence hang in the air to emphasize how absurd he believes it to be. “… When it gets to the point where Donovan’s answering questions [about it after shootaround], the inference there is that he doesn’t pass to him and there’s a problem between the two. So those aren’t illogical jumps. I haven’t seen that. I haven’t seen that at all. They sit at the same table when they eat sometimes. You know, I don’t know if they’re going to practice together, probably not, but anyway.” -via Salt Lake Tribune / April 5, 2022
Snyder went on to refer to the comparative stats that have been floated about how often Hawks point guard Trae Young passes to teammate Clint Capela, and argued that it was not “apples to apples.” “Trae Young and Capela, that’s the comp that we’re using, right? You know, out of 3,442 possessions, he’s passed to Capela 472 times. OK. Donovan, out of 1600, he’s passed to Rudy 150 times. So those are roughly the same number, right?” Well, that Young to Capela percentage is 13.7%. That Mitchell to Gobert percentage is 9.4%. So, not quite the same. -via Salt Lake Tribune / April 5, 2022
The friction between Mitchell and Gobert has been well-documented for a few years. At times, it has spilled out to the public. But the 6-foot-2 guard said the narrative is overblown. “First of all, we’re good. I just want to go on record with saying that,” Mitchell told Yahoo Sports. “I think it’s interesting that stuff happens, and he and I have never played at this high of a level together since we’ve been here. So I make the joke, ‘For a group that hates each other, man, we’re playing pretty well.’ -via Yahoo! Sports / February 15, 2022
