In the last two games, the Utah Jazz have outscored better teams by double digits in the second half. In the first of the two games, coach Will Hardy stuck with the set formation for an extended period and closed out the game. That lineup had John Collins under center and Walker Kessler benched. In a similar situation the next game, Hardy decided to use a different formation throughout the fourth quarter.
In this configuration, Kessler had a central position. The Jazz haven’t come back since the first game. On the second play of the fourth quarter, they won 40-13.SLC Dunk readers will know my strong feelings about Collins after Kessler. I’ve written numerous articles and tweets on this topic pointing out the dramatic differences in Kessler’s and Collins’ jazz playing. But none of the stats, statements or data I’ve shared proves this point as clearly as the last two Utah Jazz games. Simply put, when Walker Kessler plays, good things happen to jazz.
However, the Kessler protocol is not guaranteed. He is averaging 23.2 minutes per game, seventh on the team. While Collins’ negative impact is one of the reasons I feel so strongly, I want to focus on Kessler’s positive impact. defenseWalker Kessler ranks fourth in the NBA in total blocks and third in blocks per game.
Those numbers would be impressive for a guy who starts and plays 32 minutes per game. That makes it even more impressive for Kessler, who played 23 minutes off the bench. Walker Kessler currently leads the league with a 10.3% interception rate. In NBA history, only three players have had a steal percentage higher than 10%. Additionally, Kessler’s 51.09% block rate is second-highest in the league among seniors. Circle protection isn’t just about blocks. Some NBA bigs, especially young adults, block a lot of shots without being great rim protectors.
But Kessler has proven to be an elite rim protector even when he’s not blocking shots. The closest point guard, Kessler, is allowing players to shoot 56.6 percent from 5 feet to the basket, the second-highest mark in the NBA. He leads the NBA in Rim DFG% vs Expected -18.3%, according to Bball Index. That means players are shooting 18.3% worse at the board when Kessler is defending, which is a stat they were expecting.
