Estimated read time: 4-5 minutes
- Walker Kessler's defensive plays led the Utah Jazz to a 131-128 victory over the Warriors.
- Kessler recorded 15 points, 18 rebounds, and four blocks, sparking a comeback from an 11-point deficit.
- The Jazz's win highlights Kessler's value, rebuffing Lakers' trade interest, and showcasing team resilience.
SALT LAKE CITY — Will Hardy has noticed something about Utah Jazz fans over his two-plus years in Salt Lake City.
"When guys go hard, guys dive for a loose ball, guys make winning, inspiring plays, block a dunk at the rim, those things get our fan base fired up," the Jazz coach said.
Look no further than Walker Kessler on Wednesday night as Utah came back to stun the Warriors 131-128 at the Delta Center.
With 2:18 remaining in the game, Kessler read Draymond Green's drive perfectly. He stepped up to force Green to pass, and then quickly turned and blocked Kevon Looney at the rim. That led to a Jordan Clarkson transition 3-pointer.
Nearly two minutes later, he struck again. Kessler came from across the paint to block Green at the rim, starting a fastbreak that ended with Keyonte George drilling a 3-pointer to give Utah the lead.
It was all part of a 20-6 surge in the final three minutes that saw the Jazz go from being down 11 to stealing the game from the Warriors.
"We've talked about Walker, about making plays that inspire your teammates, inspire the team, get the fans going without it being a play where you score," Hardy said. "And I think that's what he's bringing to us every night, whether the ball is finding him on the offensive end or not."
He certainly brought it on Wednesday. Kessler had 15 points, 18 rebounds (eight of which were on the offensive glass) and four blocks to help Utah get its 12th win of the season.
His secret?
"I came out the second half, and I knew we had to do something to win the game, so I just started running around, I guess," Kessler said almost bashfully. "I wish there was a more scientific answer, but just try to do everything I can to win."
That was evident from his swollen eye that had to get two stitches after it got split open during the game. That didn't stop him from making those two big defensive plays as Utah went on its game-winning run.
"I mean, big-time blocks," said George, who had 26 points and six assists off the bench. "His energy, when he's like that, he's a — excuse me — he's a (expletive) monster, like I don't even know how to really describe it in any other way. When he's playing like that, he's a killer."
Keller's impact is becoming more and more obvious as his third season has gone on. It's why the Jazz rebuffed the Lakers' interest in the big man, forcing Los Angeles to pivot to Charlotte's Mark Williams as a trade target.
The Lakers traded rookie Dalton Knecht, Cam Reddish, an unprotected first-round pick, and a pick swap for Williams on Wednesday night — an offer that wasn't good enough to pry Kessler away from Utah.
The end of Wednesday's game showed why he's so valuable. The Jazz scored on every possession in the final three minutes, but most of that was created by runouts from good defensive possessions.
Kessler wasn't alone there, though. John Collins was forced on an island against Steph Curry multiple times during that stretch and, surprisingly, held his own.
"It's exactly what you don't want — just be on an iso with Steph," Collins said. "I tried lock in, get in a stance and at least try to force him not to shoot the 'swag 3,' as I call it; try to make him drive and hopefully pass the ball to somebody else."
Collins forced Curry to pass to Green under the basket with 33 seconds left, and Kessler was there to clean it up.
That led to a surprising win for Utah. The Jazz became the first team this season to win a game when they were down by 11 or more with under three minutes remaining.
"I just felt like we were locked in," Collins said. "With all the stuff going around (about the trade deadline), I just felt the vibe of our team was just locked in; not paying attention to the outside (noise) and just locking in on tonight. I feel like that helped us down the stretch staying locked in."
He then paused before adding, "as well as guys having big cojones."
Clarkson (31 points and five assists), Collier (20 points and 11 assists) and George all made big shots down the stretch to bring Utah back.
"I'm really proud of our team," Hardy said. "I think that the way they carry themselves, the way they compete, and frankly, the way that they're improving is a great sign for our organization."
