SALT LAKE CITY — Donovan Mitchell doesn't let opponents dribble past him on purpose.

But Gobert has put fear in Westbrook and all his Thunder teammates, who when they do attack the basket in this series are as apt to retreat as not.

Witness the many exasperating turnovers in Game 3 Saturday night, when Westbrook left his feet only to think better of challenging Gobert and passed back into no man's land.

He's in the high lane, disrupting pick-and-rolls, and he's out in the corner, keeping a hand up on Jerami Grant or Patrick Patterson, while also nimbly getting back to the basket for intimidation.

In 2014-15, Quin Snyder's first season as head coach, the Jazz traded Enes Kanter to the Thunder, making way for Gobert to enter the starting lineup.

Jazz general manager Dennis Lindsey saw massive height, good feet and uncommon instincts.

Snyder has built perhaps the NBA's best defense around Gobert, and now even Westbrook, the Thunder's irresistible force, has met his match.