Jazz's Rudy Gobert, Warriors' speed to test each other's mettle Four years ago, while rookies with the Jazz, Ian Clark and Rudy Gobert helped each other navigate NBA life in Salt Lake City. During dinners, Gobert talked about wanting to become one of the league's top centers — a grand ambition for a raw, skinny 7-footer who, at the time, was relegated mostly to mop-up duty. "He's always imagined himself being who he is today," Clark, now a reserve guard for the Warriors, said Monday. In his fourth NBA season, Gobert has blossomed into one of the NBA's best centers and Warriors forward Draymond Green's biggest competition for Defensive Player of the Year. [...] as they prepare to host Utah in Game 1 of the Western Conference semifinals Tuesday night, the Warriors have centered their scouting report on limiting the French big man. To get past a physical, grind-it-out Utah team, Golden State probably will go small and dare the Jazz to beat it with Gobert. If Utah head coach Quin Snyder takes Gobert off the floor to deal with the Warriors' speed and athleticism, his team's chances at winning the seven-game series could effectively evaporate. Five years ago, after leaving his...