This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2017, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

Oakland, Calif. • Rudy Gobert got a taste of his own medicine.

Early in Game 1 of the Jazz's second-round matchup with the Golden State Warriors, Gobert had his shot sent back to him, as he's done to so many players over the past few years.

The long arm that stifled the Stifle Tower?

It belonged to Golden State's Draymond Green, who had been doing his best Gobert impression around the rim throughout the playoffs.

The Warriors' versatile power forward put together an impressive first-round performance in his team's four-game sweep of the Portland Trail Blazers. Green swatted 4.3 Portland shots per game, a playoff best 17 in total.

"That's more shots than Rudy's blocking and we look at Rudy and think of a premier shot blocker," Jazz coach Quin Snyder said. "It's hard to explain how he's able to do that, especially because that's just one of the things he does defensively."

Gobert, limited by a knee injury he suffered in the first game of his team's matchup with the Clippers, blocked six shots in Utah's first-round series.

"It's remarkable really," Snyder said. "I just think it speaks to his instinct, his timing. It's one thing to even be in the position. He's in the position because he's so instinctive and his timing is unique."

Green and Gobert are two leading candidates for this year's Defensive Player of the Year award. But even if the ballots had already been cast, the votes already tallied, Green says he wouldn't be interested in using this second-round series to campaign against Gobert.

"Nah," Green told reporters this week. "I want to show we can win the series. That's my only goal. Defensive Player of the Year don't matter when you're trying to win a championship."

Won't stop believin'

Before the Splash Brothers splashed and Kevin Durant came west seeking glory, Golden State fans were simply looking for something to believe in.

The 2007 Warriors team gave them that.

Before Tuesday's game, the franchise celebrated the 10-year anniversary of that team, which adopted the mantra "We believe" as it sneaked into the playoffs, beating the Dallas Mavericks, and becoming the first No. 8 seed to knock off a No. 1 seed since the league went to a seven-game format.

"When I first got here, that's what everyone talked about. Can you do what the 'We Believe' team did?" Stephen Curry said.

That team's run, however, ended when those Warriors ran up against the Utah Jazz.

"We'll hopefully rectify that situation that they went through at the end of the 'We Believe' run," Curry said.

New deal

ESPN has renewed its contract with former Warriors coach and onetime Jazz guard Mark Jackson. The multiyear deal was announced Tuesday.

"Mark's expertise as a former head coach and former player, combined with his passion for the NBA, make him one of the best game analysts in the sport," Mark Gross, ESPN senior vice president, said in a news release.

Twitter: @aaronfalk