Chapter 50: The Defensive Battalion

The Utah Jazz, one of the league’s premier defensive teams, have long been renowned for their prowess on that end of the court. Whether it was during the era of Stockton and the Mailman Malone, or the days of Deron Williams, Boozer, and AK47 Kirilenko, their defense consistently ranked among the best in the NBA. This season, the Jazz’s defensive capabilities have become even more pronounced. In the paint stands Rudy Gobert, known as the “French Heartthrob,” whose long arms seem to block out the sky—a natural barrier for the team’s interior defense.

With Coach Quin Snyder emphasizing defense over several consecutive seasons, the Jazz are now reaping the rewards of their commitment. The season’s statistics speak volumes: Utah has posted five wins and four losses—a modest win rate, yet every game sees their opponents exhausted, stripped to the bone before securing victory. They have even held their adversaries to under ninety points in four straight games!

In an era when NBA teams push the pace and scoring over a hundred points each is the norm, Utah plays old-school basketball, asserting their presence through formidable defense.

“Oh, oh, oh! The visitors from Salt Lake City never let up—they’ll show the home team what the league’s toughest shield looks like!” The ABC commentator on the sidelines at Orlando’s Amway Center was clearly an aficionado of classic basketball, lavishing praise on the Jazz’s ironclad defense.

His broadcast partner, equally impressed by Utah’s defense, steered the conversation back to the home team, the Orlando Magic. “But we must remember, the Orlando squad here tonight is no pushover.”

“So far this season, their average points per game rank near the top of the league. Offensively, they’re anything but weak!” As he spoke, his gaze shifted to Michael Wu, warming up with jump shots on the sideline. “What’s more, in recent days, almost every basketball circle across America has been abuzz about Orlando’s second-round pick from this year’s draft.”

“Michael Wu will be the biggest storyline outside tonight’s clash of styles!” He glanced at his data sheet. “Unfortunately, Michael’s performance this season has been lackluster. Aside from some eye-catching offensive rebounds, his play has been almost unbearable to watch.”

“Bang!”

Just then, Michael Wu missed several shots in a row during warm-ups, which the commentator noted with a shake of the head.

“Look at Michael’s poor showing in warm-ups—it’s hard to imagine how the immense public pressure might affect the direction of this young man’s promising future.”

“Whether he sinks or soars, to be honest, I’m looking forward to finding out.”

As the commentator spoke, the game between the Utah Jazz and the Orlando Magic was about to begin, with both teams’ starters taking the court one after another.

For Orlando, there were no changes to the lineup. The season had only just begun, and Coach Vogel felt there was no need to tinker yet, even after suffering two consecutive losses.

Utah, likewise, kept their starting five intact. In the backcourt were Dante Exum and Rodney Hood—two young players born in the nineties, already excellent defenders despite their youth.

At small forward, the ever-reliable Gordon Hayward—an All-Star known for his love of League of Legends—had made modest improvements this season, his shooting much more consistent. Clearly, his glamorous summer involved more than just beautiful women and games; there was basketball too.

The Jazz’s interior duo, Derrick Favors and Rudy Gobert, formed the backbone of their defensive scheme.

“Michael, how are you feeling today?”

As the centers from both sides gathered at midcourt, Bismack Biyombo nudged Michael Wu with his shoulder on the Magic bench. “You seemed pretty tense during warm-ups.”

Since Coach Vogel had offered some words of comfort, Michael had tried his hand at shooting practice several times, but with unsatisfactory results. In Biyombo’s eyes, his little brother was simply too nervous.

“I’m fine, Bismack.” Others might have mistaken Wu’s demeanor for nerves, but he knew full well that it wasn’t anxiety—it was simply his true level. With a slight smile, he replied, “Trust me, none of that stuff online affects me at all.”

“That’s good.” Biyombo was reassured to see Wu smiling, then pointed to the Jazz center about to jump for the ball. “See that monster Rudy Gobert out there?”

“With him guarding the paint, it’s a nightmare for us!” Biyombo said, feigning a serious shiver. “Michael, with that guy around, don’t even think about dunking carelessly.”

“That’ll just give him another block for his stats!”

“Oh really?” Wu listened to Biyombo’s exaggerated tone while watching Gobert effortlessly leap and tip the ball to his point guard. His eyes lingered on the seven-foot-one Frenchman. “Honestly, I’d love to know what it feels like to dunk over him.”

“Come off it, Michael. You can only dream about that,” Biyombo replied, taking Wu’s words as a joke. He doubted Wu would really dare to dunk on Gobert.

Wu’s leaping ability was outstanding—he could even execute a two-handed dunk from a step inside the free-throw line—but this was Rudy Gobert, a shot-blocking monster who averaged more than 2.2 blocks per game for three straight seasons. Biyombo figured even LeBron James would think twice before challenging Gobert.

Gobert’s dominance wasn’t limited to defense. On offense, the seven-footer was a formidable force. As Exum dribbled past half court, Gobert, who had won the tip, quickly established position under the basket. Exum passed the ball, and the French Heartthrob secured it, braced against Vucevic, and powered up.

Vucevic, strong offensively but weak on defense, was completely outmatched in height and wingspan, left powerless as Gobert scored two easy points on the road.

Perhaps intimidated by Gobert’s imposing reach, the Magic committed a careless turnover on the next possession—Serge Ibaka threw the ball straight into the stands, prompting the commentators to shake their heads in exasperation.

Transitioning to offense, the Jazz again organized their attack around Gobert’s dominance in the paint. This time, it was Gordon Hayward who finished the play.

Catch, set, shoot, score!

Hayward’s execution was smooth as silk, and the defensively renowned Jazz took an early 4-0 lead on the road.