Rudy Gobert on game winning alley-oop with Donovan Mitchell: 'It's poetic justice'

With their season likely on the line, the Utah Jazz’s franchise cornerstones — who have one of the NBA’s most heavily scrutinized partnerships — connected. The result: A go-ahead alley-oop from Donovan Mitchell to Rudy Gobert that allowed the Jazz to even the series in Saturday’s Game 4. It was the sweetest moment yet in the All-Stars’ occasionally tense five-season tenure as teammates. “It’s poetic justice in a way,” Gobert told ESPN after Utah’s 100-99 win over the Dallas Mavericks. “It’s a play that we’ve made many times. It just happened to be the game-winning play tonight.”
Source: Tim MacMahon @ ESPN

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Tim MacMahon @espn_macmahon
Dwyane Wade on Donovan Mitchell-to-Rudy Gobert for W: “At the end of the day, those guys have a respect for each other, man. It’s just good to see them execute like that and for the two star players on our team to trust each other in that space like that.” espn.com/nba/story/_/id… – 9:29 AM Rob Perez @WorldWideWob
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youtube.com/watch?v=y_G9-m… – 1:17 AM Mike Prada @MikePradaNBA
Just watched Jazz-Mavs. 3 things.
1. NO TIMEOUT!!!!
2. The timing of Gobert’s drag screen on that last play was perfect. Also, the lift by Jordan Clarkson to occupy Bullock.
3. Biggest play of the game was Maxi’s sixth foul at the 4:19 mark. Dallas couldn’t play 5 out after that – 12:24 AM Tim MacMahon @espn_macmahon
The Jazz couldn’t have written a better script than Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert connecting on an alley-oop with the season on the line. “It’s poetic justice in a way,” Gobert told ESPN. espn.com/nba/story/_/id… – 12:01 AM Rudy Gobert @rudygobert27
1 at a time. 🐉🙏🏽🔮 pic.twitter.com/r5Vj6Nkl2h – 10:24 PM Eric Walden @tribjazz
Donovan, on the key to the defense on the final play: “Make somebody else shoot. … Dinwiddie’s hit like 3 of those in the regular season, so when he shot it, I was a little nervous. But it’s hard to shoot over Rudy Gobert.” – 8:36 PM Ben Anderson @BensHoops
Donovan Mitchell on how Luka Doncic changes the dynamic of the game for the @Utah Jazz and @Dallas Mavericks.
“It’s a slower place, but rightfully so, he had 30, 10, and 4.”
#TakeNote | @kslsports – 8:34 PM Kurt Helin @basketballtalk
Mitchel to Gobert lob game winner means Jazz isn’t dead, series with Mavericks tied 2-2 nba.nbcsports.com/2022/04/23/mit… – 8:09 PM David Locke @DLocke09
POSTCAST – Utah Jazz tie series on Donovan Mitchell to Rudy Gobert lob despite return of Luka Doncic – lockedonjazz.net/jazz/postcast-… – 8:07 PM Eric Walden @tribjazz
Rudy Gobert, on Bojan Bogdanovic’s defense: “He set the tone. He set the tone for us. Everyone looks at Bogey and says, ‘If Bogey is doing it, why can’t I?’ It’s contagious.” – 7:57 PM Tony Jones @Tjonesonthenba
Rudy Gobert: this is the team we want to be – 7:55 PM Eric Walden @tribjazz
Rudy Gobert, on the pass from Donovan: “I tried to set a screen to get him open, and Dwight Powell was up, so made the right read and threw the lob.” – 7:54 PM Chuck Cooperstein @coopmavs
Both teams played great at times. Both teams were bad at times. Mavs made 4 mistakes in the last 1:00 Doncic foul on Mitchell. The 2 Powell missed FTs. Allowing Mitchell penetration for Gobert dunk. And then too deliberate on the last possession to lead to a less than ideal shot – 7:52 PM Eric Walden @tribjazz
The Jazz-Mavericks playoff series is tied 2-2 after two missed Dallas free throws, a Mitchell-to-Gobert alley-oop, and a missed 3 at the buzzer help Utah prevail after blowing a 16-point lead. sltrib.com/sports/jazz/20… – 7:40 PM David Locke @DLocke09
Jazz tie the series on Donovan Mitchell to Rudy Gobert as Luka Doncic returns twitter.com/i/broadcasts/1… – 7:37 PM Tony Jones @Tjonesonthenba
Donovan Mitchell has had a rough series in multiple respects but he deserves his flowers for that last minute, especially trusting Gobert on that final possession. That’s the read he hasn’t made all series – 7:27 PM The Ringer @ringernba
Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert tonight pic.twitter.com/ItLJjZFcOM – 7:27 PM Sam Amick @sam_amick
The Jazz survive, with Donovan Mitchell trusting Rudy Gobert when it mattered most. Fits right into the storyline surrounding their tenuous team…
theathletic.com/3253228/2022/0… – 7:26 PM Mark Haynes @markhaynesnba
I’m on that Rudy Gobert mood the rest of the weekend. #FTT – 7:25 PM Mark Giannotto @mgiannotto
Donovan Mitchell to Rudy Gobert for the win was the best possible way this could have gone for the Utah Jazz. There’s hope for you yet. – 7:22 PM Jonathan Feigen @Jonathan_Feigen
Will that Rudy Gobert walk off interview get on t-shirts? In Salt Lake City? Someone ought to get on that there. – 7:22 PM StatMuse @statmuse
In the first 3 games of the playoffs Donovan Mitchell lead the league in second half points with 23.7 per game.
Today Spida had 6 in the second half. pic.twitter.com/Ue90iNo4vB – 7:22 PM StatMuse @statmuse
Rudy Gobert today:
17 PTS
10 OREB
5 DREB
And a game winning alley oop dunk. pic.twitter.com/jY5wNyayqN – 7:21 PM Mark Haynes @markhaynesnba
Didn’t they say Donovan Mitchell doesn’t pass the ball to Rudy Gobert? – 7:21 PM Mike McGraw @McGrawDHSports
Dang, Rudy Gobert makes 3 of 8 free throws down the stretch then says, “We’ve got to trust each other.” – 7:21 PM David Locke @DLocke09
Donovan Mitchell to Rudy Gobert for the win – 7:20 PM The Ringer @ringernba
MITCHELL TO GOBERT FOR THE WIN! #TakeNote
(📼 @NBA)
pic.twitter.com/7wDmq3yUDt – 7:20 PM Nate Duncan @NateDuncanNBA
Snyder coached a fantastic last 40 seconds. Timeout, ATO to get Mitchell open on the hammer screen. Then early trap on Luka to make him give it up. And finally no timeout, bring it full and quick slip to Gobert which was open all night. – 7:20 PM StatMuse @statmuse
Fun fact:
Donovan Mitchell averages 2 passes a game to Rudy Gobert.
One of those passes was in the biggest game of the season. pic.twitter.com/Jo0buGSHpd – 7:19 PM StatMuse @statmuse
Donovan Mitchell today:
23 PTS
6 REB
7 AST
And a game winning assist to Rudy Gobert. pic.twitter.com/kdBOtZfB1t – 7:19 PM Vivek Jacob @vivekmjacob
a series saving lob from mitchell to gobert is hilarious – 7:18 PM Andy Larsen @andyblarsen
Dinwiddie misses… Jazz win Game 4!
An unlikely comeback from Mitchell and Gobert late… tremendous defense on the last Dallas possession when it mattered most. – 7:18 PM John Schuhmann @johnschuhmann
Same exact shot Dinwiddie hit at the buzzer in Brooklyn, except it was Gobert contesting instead of Dragic. – 7:18 PM Jason Anderson @JandersonSacBee
Mitchell pass to Gobert alert 🚨 – 7:17 PM Christos Tsaltas @Tsaltas46
They said “Donovan Mitchell never passes the ball to Rudy Gobert”… #takenote – 7:16 PM Ryan McDonough @McDNBA
Mitchell and Gobert have struggled with their chemistry on passes, especially lob passes
Spida put the 🏀 right on 🎯 for Rudy in the biggest possession so far – 7:16 PM Keith Smith @KeithSmithNBA
Mitchell and Gobert were just working a long con. – 7:16 PM Kellan Olson @KellanOlson
A Mitchell to Gobert lob! Teamwork! Camaraderie! Working together! To overcome adversity! – 7:16 PM Tim MacMahon @espn_macmahon
Donovan Mitchell to Rudy Gobert for the go-ahead bucket with 11 seconds left. They might talk about that play at the lunch table. – 7:16 PM Quinton Mayo @RealQuintonMayo
For a second I believed Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert liked each other lol – 7:16 PM Tony Jones @Tjonesonthenba
Powell misses two. Donovan Mitchell comes down and finds Gobert on the lob. The Jazz lead Dallas 100-99….11 seconds remaining….mavericks with the ball – 7:16 PM Brady Hawk @BradyHawk305
Well looks like Mitchell passed to Gobert – 7:16 PM Jorge Sierra @hoopshype
Jazz may win with a Mitchell-to-Gobert pass.
You can’t make this stuff up. – 7:16 PM Jon Hamm @JonMHamm
Mitchell passed to Gobert – 7:16 PM Adam Mares @Adam_Mares
Mitchell to Gobert for the win 😂😂😂 – 7:15 PM Ryan Miller @millerjryan
Mitchell to Gobert for a dunk with 11 seconds left. Jazz lead 100-99. Wow! – 7:15 PM Andy Larsen @andyblarsen
MITCHELL TO GOBERT FOR A POTENTIALLY GAME-WINNING LOB – 7:15 PM Tony Jones @Tjonesonthenba
Donovan Mitchell with the tough finish and a foul….31.2 seconds remaining……the Jazz trail 99-98 – 7:13 PM Brady Hawk @BradyHawk305
Live reaction of Bam looking at Gobert getting cooked by Doncic on the perimeter for the late bucket pic.twitter.com/xTA0yN6WOB – 7:12 PM Sam Vecenie @Sam_Vecenie
I loved Dallas on that play at 92-93 getting the Gobert switch onto Luka, then using it not for Luka to attack, but to swing it to Brunson with Gobert away from the rim. Really sharp, simple play. – 7:12 PM Andy Larsen @andyblarsen
Doncic hits a stepback three over Gobert, wow. Mavs now up 99-95, and the Jazz are in significant trouble here with 39 seconds left. They need a bucket and a quick one. – 7:11 PM Eric Walden @tribjazz
Doncic hits a strap-back 3 over Gobert. Just a ballsy shot. Mavs lead 99-95 with 39.1 to go. – 7:11 PM Ben Anderson @BensHoops
Luka Doncic hits a step back three on Rudy Gobert to give the Mavericks a 4 point lead with 39 seconds left to play. – 7:11 PM Ryan McDonough @McDNBA
I bet the Mavs use Powell as a screener again to try to get Luka isolated vs Gobert – 7:10 PM Brian Geltzeiler @BGeltzNBA
I know Kleber has been hot from three but Powell is a better closing matchup vs Utah. Dallas needs that physical presence vs Gobert – 7:09 PM Nate Duncan @NateDuncanNBA
Brunson with his 97th consecutive blowby on O’Neale, just smoked the layup. Great job by Luka setting him up to attack after the Gobert switch. – 7:07 PM Andy Larsen @andyblarsen
Gobert has 10 offensive rebounds today, a season high. – 7:06 PM Ben Anderson @BensHoops
I am reminded of Luka Donic punching Donovan Mitchell in the face in a game earlier this season. – 7:05 PM Tony Jones @Tjonesonthenba
The officials are reviewing a hostile act on Rudy Gobert – 7:04 PM Andy Larsen @andyblarsen
Gobert’s free-throw shooting has cost the Jazz a chance to pull away a little from the Mavericks down the stretch – 7:02 PM Ryan Miller @millerjryan
Now four straight trips have ended with Rudy Gobert at the line. – 7:02 PM James Plowright @British_Buzz
Does Rudy Gobert not realize that while he is covering his mouth when talking so people can’t read his lips he is Mic’d up!? – 7:02 PM Andy Larsen @andyblarsen
Mavs up 92-91, but Gobert goes to the line for 2 with 3:12 left.
Are Mavs going to go primarily through Luka or Brunson? Jazz have done a better job defending Luka, I think, but he’s just made some really tough shots. I might start with Brunson early in possessions, Luka late. – 6:59 PM Eddie Sefko @ESefko
As long as the Mavs have fouls available, that’s the way to treat Gobert. Make him make the 15-footers. Mavericks lead 92-91 as Rudy heads to the strip again. – 6:59 PM Haralabos Voulgaris @haralabob
I am assuming part of the reason why they want Gobert involved as the screen defender bc with him guarding DP he’ll just sag into the paint and play free safety. I guess thats the reasoning> – 6:59 PM Nate Duncan @NateDuncanNBA
Best result of Gobert’s offensive rebounding has been putting a ton of fouls on Dallas’ guys. – 6:56 PM Sarah Todd @NBASarah
Kleber fouls out.
Can’t wait to hear Quin Snyder talk about him in the postgame because Snyder pronounces Kleber as if he’s trying to say Gobert and it’s one of my favorite mistakes – 6:55 PM Callie Caplan @CallieCaplan
Quin Snyder challenged the Rudy Gobert foul on Luka Doncic.
Rudy says he had his hands straight up. Luka says he got hit in the head.
Luka was right, and gets 2 free throws as his reward. – 6:52 PM Nate Duncan @NateDuncanNBA
Think there was enough contact to the shoulder/head of Doncic to sustain this foul call. But I prefer the strategy from Gobert of forcing him to drive on that calf rather than concede the stepback. – 6:52 PM Damichael Cole @DamichaelC
Been waiting on the last five minutes of Utah-Dallas just so I can see this 1 on 1 between Luka Doncic and Rudy Gobert – 6:51 PM Tony Jones @Tjonesonthenba
Quin Snyder is challenging the foul call on Rudy Gobert on the Luka Doncic take to the rim – 6:51 PM Andy Larsen @andyblarsen
Quin Snyder challenging the Gobert foul on Doncic. – 6:50 PM Nate Duncan @NateDuncanNBA
Gobert has been Drummond-like on his inability to get anything out of these orebs – 6:43 PM Rob Perez @WorldWideWob
a lot has been made about Utah’s glaringly obvious struggle to rotate on defense this series, thought this possession illustrates it pretty accurately. watch Donovan.
(no, this is not a Gobert/Mitchell narrative thing — just happens to be here.) pic.twitter.com/k74VADdf4E – 6:43 PM Tim MacMahon @espn_macmahon
Donovan Mitchell went from 2:40 in the second quarter to 7:24 in the fourth without scoring. Jazz need him to get going down the stretch. – 6:42 PM Andy Larsen @andyblarsen
Donovan Mitchell maybe tweaked his ankle after getting that rebound, and Snyder takes a quick timeout. Mavs still up, 83-80. – 6:38 PM Nate Duncan @NateDuncanNBA
Clarkson had the easy oop to Gobert and took the floater instead. Conley blew the rotation they’ve been making down to the corner but Mavs missed the open 3, they’ve missed 3 wide open ones already in this Q – 6:36 PM Nate Duncan @NateDuncanNBA
Another great rotation by House to take Gobert’s man Green in the corner as he stepped up to help. Forced them into late clock and Luka traveled – 6:34 PM Eric Walden @tribjazz
End 3Q: Mavs 81, Jazz 78. Dallas 8-10 from 3. Donovan Mitchell zero points. – 6:30 PM Nate Duncan @NateDuncanNBA
Fantastic rotation from Utah leading to the charge on Dinwiddie. Gobert helped on the baseline drive, and House FLEW out to the corner. The play they weren’t making last 2 games. – 6:26 PM Andy Larsen @andyblarsen
Extremely unwise foul from Gobert there, picking up his 3rd, with the Jazz in the bonus, on a bad reach. Paschall coming in at center for Utah’s first small-ball mins of the night. – 5:40 PM Tony Jones @Tjonesonthenba
Pretty bad foul there by Gobert. Not only was Green’s dribble dead, that’s number three – 5:40 PM Brad Townsend @townbrad
3 on Gobert. So there’s that. – 5:39 PM Nate Duncan @NateDuncanNBA
The Jazz did it! They actually peel switched!! Gobert picks up the drive and Mitchell intercepts the pass to the corner to his man Green. – 5:36 PM Tony Jones @Tjonesonthenba
4:11 remaining in the first half. The Jazz lead Dallas 42-32……Jalen Brunson has given the mavericks some juice offensively. Donovan Mitchell and Jordan Clarkson have combined for 27 points – 5:30 PM StatMuse @statmuse
Most playoff 3P in Utah Jazz history:
127 – Donovan Mitchell
126 – Bryon Russell
111 – John Stockton
Spida is 5th all-time in playoff 3PM per game pic.twitter.com/HagQaipe0P – 5:21 PM Ben Anderson @BensHoops
The Mavericks aren’t better without Luka Doncic on the floor, but they certainly defer to him offensively the same way the Jazz defer to Rudy Gobert defensively, and they seem to lack some of the same aggressiveness. – 5:16 PM Andy Larsen @andyblarsen
Jazz have a 24-23 lead after 1Q over Dallas.
Some of their best defense of the series. Bogdanovic, especially, was impressive. Donovan Mitchell has 12 points on 4-7 shooting. – 5:08 PM Callie Caplan @CallieCaplan
Technical foul on Rudy Gobert after a big block on Dwight Powell. That’s usually Luka Doncic’s cue to step up his vocals lol – 5:06 PM Andy Larsen @andyblarsen
Kane Fitzgerald calls the technical on Gobert and the foul call on Gobert… believe the technical was for the point to the bench. – 5:06 PM Tony Jones @Tjonesonthenba
Foul on Gobert and technical foul on Gobert as well…. – 5:05 PM Nate Duncan @NateDuncanNBA
Jazz get the open Bojan corner 3 as 2 went to Gobert, one of them Doncic. O’Neale got an open one off Gobert roll. Rare they’ve gotten any spotups, see if that changes with Luka out there – 4:41 PM Chuck Cooperstein @coopmavs
Mavs starters: Bullock, DFS, Powell, Brunson, Doncic
Utah starters: Bogdanovic, O’Neale, Gobert, Mitchell, Conley
3:35 tip @theeagledallas – 4:02 PM

More on this storyline

“Metaphoric on some level,” Jazz coach Quin Snyder said. “It feels good. I ain’t going to lie to you.” Mitchell also acknowledged the symbolism of the play. “It feels good, because it’s just like, man, you hear it,” Mitchell said. “I don’t think him and I sit here think there’s anything, but we hear it. It’s good to see that and be able to go out there and do it on a stage like that, but ultimately, those same plays we made throughout the entire game. -via ESPN / April 24, 2022 Eric Walden: Donovan Mitchell, on if meant a little more to throw the winning pass to Rudy Gobert: “I think it’s funny, man. But it felt good, because you hear . … We trust each other.” -via Twitter @tribjazz / April 23, 2022 Eddie Sefko: Donovan Mitchell on Rudy Gobert being a finalist for DPOY: “Are you surprised? I’m not.” Added that Gobert had a huge impact on game 1 with only one shot from the field. -via Twitter @ESefko / April 18, 2022