PORTLAND – Before this season, there probably was no way any basketball aficionado would have had the nerve to mention Christian Wood and Rudy Gobert in the same sentence.
Especially when it comes to playing defense.
But a quick check of the NBA stats and there it is in black and white. Wood, a perennial high-octane offensive machine, is tied with Gobert – the NBA’s Defensive Player of the Year in 2018, ’19 and ’21 – for 13th place in blocks this season with 1.3 per game.
To hear Wood explain the 180 degree switch, his lack of impact on defense is all just a big old misunderstanding.
“People have talked about how bad my defense was at the beginning of the season and in Houston,” Wood said. “So I’m trying to make an emphasis to show people that it’s not as bad it seems.”
After joining the Dallas Mavericks in a trade with Houston last summer, Wood struggled mightily on the defensive end of the court. But now, he’s had three or more blocks in five of the last 11 games, including five against Houston on Jan. 2 and five against the Los Angeles Lakers this past Thursday.
Wood has taken to coach Jason Kidd’s defensive principles to heart and discovered that he can impact a game on both ends of the floor. But Kidd knew Wood wouldn’t absorb everything overnight.
“I think it takes time, understanding he’s gifted on the offensive end, but he’s also gifted on the defensive end,” Kidd said. “Being able to block shots for us right now at a high rate has helped us win games, especially late.
“In that Lakers’ game, being able to come up with some blocked shot and key rebounds (was key).”
Indeed, with the game against the Lakers tied in the waning seconds of overtime, Wood blocked LeBron James right at the rim, sending the game into double-overtime.
“I’m just helping my team out,” Wood said. “Luka (Doncic) was in foul trouble, so you have to kind of shrink the floor. . . shrink the floor on LeBron’s drives.
“Just helping out these guys, and guys are trusting me to make these type of plays..”
Wood’s coaches and teammates have taken notice to the way he’s flexing his muscles on defense.
“He’s taking a big leap defensively and its helped our team out a lot,” guard Josh Green said. “He’s bought into the system and he’s done an amazing job, and he’s really us out in a lot of the close games, especially down the end getting big blocks.”
Kidd knew it likely would have been a minute or two before Wood learned his defensive philosophy.
“I think just understanding the schemes and being in the right place, understanding what we were asking him to do just takes time,” Kidd said. “He wasn’t with us last year.
“It took time last year for our defense to understand what we were asking, and once that took place we became one of the Top 10 teams defenses in the league. So when you look at C-Wood’s time, just understanding where he needs to be, and also playing with those four other guys, understanding their talent and what they’re going to do with their guy. He’s been in the right spots at the right time for us.”
And being in the right spots at the right time has paid dividends for the Mavs.
“He’s doing well for us,” forward Reggie Bullock said. “He’s rim protecting, he’s blocking shots, he’s making some late time game blocks shots as well for the team, and it’s good to have that rim protection.”
Wood didn’t play in Saturday’s game against Portland due to a sprained right ankle. But the fact that he’s even mentioned in the same sentence with Gobert when it comes to blocks per game speaks volumes about how he has elevated his game on the defensive end of the court.
“It’s about being open to it,” Green said. “At the end of the day he helps us so much and gets everybody ready to go.”
Twitter: @DwainPrice
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