This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2015, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

Size matters.

Even in the NBA, a realm where big men roam and rule, the biggest among them seem to have an advantage when it comes to a kind of natural leadership, a command of the room.

Though they might try to overcompensate for their own stature, yap and bark and yap and bark some more, little guys look up to big guys, literally and figuratively, and big guys are fully aware. They may not pull that Big-L leadership card, but deep down, they know it's available to them. From Napoleon to Nate Archibald, the shorties can strike their poses, can put their off hand in their vests and dribble down low, but, when all is said and done, it's a big man's world. And everybody under 6-foot-10 is renting space.

That's certainly true for the Jazz.

Two bigs in particular are at the center of what they'll do this season: Rudy Gobert and Derrick Favors. Gordon Hayward and Alec Burks will have the ball in their hands a lot, they'll sometimes initiate the offense and often finish possessions, but it is Gobert at the defensive end that makes the Jazz what they are and it's Favors at the offensive end.

Each will have to take his place and make sure teammates know he's taken it.

Gobert could be the best defender in the league, or, at least the most dominant, blocking and altering shots the way he does. The single thing NBA players hate more than anything else is to get their shots swatted. In the pantheon of bad things that could happen, that's the one they'll do darn near anything to avoid. It's embarrassing to them. And once it happens, they'll shy away from having it happen again because … if it happens twice … they'd rather spin themselves down between the floorboards and vanish completely out of sight.

With his dimensions, Gobert will make more than a few opponents disappear, and he'll continue to cause fear and loathing — and gain additional respect — en route. A big man with that ability is easy for teammates to line up behind and follow.

Favors also is an accomplished defender. But it is at the offensive end where the 24-year-old power forward can have the biggest impact for this group of players. The Jazz, who at times will lack scoring punch, need Favors to perform well, aggressively finding his spots on the floor and taking shots, and hitting the boards hard to extend possessions.

When he's on the court alongside Gobert, Favors will be asked — and already has been asked — to stretch, to be versatile in his approach, everything from hitting 17-foot jumpers to posting up on the low block to increasing his percentage from the foul line.

But both Favors and Gobert will be asked to do that other thing — to lead.

Favors now is in his sixth year and that experience, along with his size and abilities, will require from him to show a young team the way to the playoffs. To do that, he must further establish himself and call for the ball and then take advantage when he gets it. Last season, he averaged 16 points and eight boards per game. With Gobert working simultaneously, it might be difficult for Favors to increase his rebounding number, but the point total can elevate.

"I can get 20 and 10," he said. "If they ask me to do that."

They're asking now. And even if they didn't ask, he should anyway. It's a part of that license he owns and the leadership mantle he wears.

"I feel it," he said. "My teammates want me to be a leader, especially on offense, and I'm ready for it."

The big men stepping up, as the point guards and the perimeter players figure themselves out, may be the single biggest move toward a Jazz playoff push this season. The other guys have to do their parts, too. But if Gobert and Favors require the sacrifices necessary for greatness out of themselves, and they demand quality play from their teammates, including Hayward, Rodney Hood, Burks and Trey Burke, the Jazz stand a far better chance of getting what they want — a ticket to the postseason.

Because it's a big man's world, and the rest of the Jazz are winning in it.

GORDON MONSON hosts "The Big Show" with Spence Checketts weekdays from 3-7 p.m. on 97.5 FM and 1280 AM The Zone. Twitter: @GordonMonson.