Gobert: ‘I Am Looking Forward To The Summer To Get Better’

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Less than 24 hours after being eliminated by the Houston Rockets in the first round of the NBA Playoffs, Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert is already looking forward to the off-season.

It hasn’t sat well with the Frenchman that the Jazz are not advancing to the second round for the third straight season.

“It’s hard for my vacation to be earlier than it was the last two years,” said Gobert. “We were facing a really good team [Houston Rockets]. I am excited for the future, about the summer that I and the team will get better,” he added.

Gobert had a career year offensively, averaging 15.9 points, 12.9 rebounds and 2 assists per game. In the playoffs, Gobert posted 11.2 points, 10.2 rebounds and 2.6 blocks per game in the 5-game series against the Rockets.

“I am getting better,” Gobert said. “I have been working every year to improve and help the team more. I am looking forward to this summer to get better,” he added.

Getting Better As A Team

The Jazz will now evaluate their roster and determine how they will address their needs to get better and make a Playoff run. One thing is for certain for Gobert, that the Jazz need to have everyone on the same page.

“We all need to have a championship on our mind,” he said. “Not when the playoffs start, but right now. From us as players to the coaching staff and the front office, we all have to be on the same page and have to have that same goal. Once we start having that, I think everything will come together,” Gobert stated.

Tough Western Conference

The Western Conference is tough in the NBA, the Jazz won 50 games and didn’t get home-court advantage in the first round and had the fifth best record in the conference.

“There are not a lot of teams that can do what we do,” Gobert mentioned. “Dealing with injuries, playing in the Western Conference and a tough division, it’s not easy. It shows a lot of character and we are going to keep getting better every year,” he added.