DeMar DeRozan slams on Rudy Gobert for early Dunk of Year frontrunner

Ruby Gobert, one of the better shot blockers in the league, was DeRozan’s latest victim in Wednesday night’s Jazz-Raptors game.

DeRozan took two hard steps up through the paint and unleashed what’s already being called “early frontrunner for Dunk of the Year”.

This thunderous jam gave the Raptors a 83-82, but they eventually lost 93-89 for their third-straight defeat. Gobert finished with 7 points. Backup Jazz guards Alec Burks and Trey Burke gave Utah a lift with 13 and 10 points, respectively.

He is tied with John White IV for most 100-yard games in school history with 14. Utah’s big man came up huge in the final minute, converting a three-point play to give the Jazz an 89-85 lead with 40 seconds left.

Lowry hit two free throws with 27.4 remaining and Favors answered with an uncontested dunk.

For the Blazers, that has been just enough time against the Rockets and as with the 2014 playoff clincher, they went to Damian Lillard. They were tough…. And we didn’t respond right away.

“We are 13 games in and we are putting ourselves in situations to win games”, Lowry said.

Even after a good start, the Jazz defense clamped down and held the visitors to 19 first-quarter points.

Raptors: First-round draft pick Delon Wright made his first trip back to Salt Lake City as an National Basketball Association player and was welcomed by a throng of media.

Booker was named one of 11 finalists for the Doak Walker Award, given at the end of the season to the nation’s top back. “I don’t know if we’re at that point yet.”…