The Utah Jazz will be without Rudy Gobert an indeterminate amount of time after an MRI revealed a hyperextension and bone bruise in his left knee.
Following the team’s two-point 97-95 win over the Los Angeles Clippers Saturday night, Shams Charania of The Vertical reported these details, noting no structural damage was found. The Jazz later confirmed this report, though no timetable for recovery was given.
“He will continue to be reevaluated and further updates will be provided when appropriate,” concluded the team’s injury update.
Though Utah was able to win Game 1 against Los Angeles without Gobert, this injury is certainly significant.
Averaging 14 points, 12.8 rebounds and 2.6 blocked shots per game, the fourth-year center was a rock-solid anchor defensively and did plenty of work on the boards to clean up missed opportunities by his teammates. He is also a top-rate rim defender, and the Jazz were outscored by 2.9 points per 100 possessions when he was on the sideline this past season.