SALT LAKE CITY – The Utah Jazz earned their first win of the preseason, downing the Portland Trail Blazers 132-129 behind a big night from Walker Kessler.
Keyonte George led the Jazz with 20 points while Portland’s Jerami Grant led all scorers with 32.
The Jazz were without several key players, including Ace Bailey, Cody Williams, Georges Niang, Isaiah Coller, and Kyle Anderson in the win.
Walker Kessler Is A Bright Spot In Return
Walker Kessler might have been the Jazz’s best player last season. While Lauri Markkanen struggled with his shooting and John Collins appeared in only 40 games, Kessler consistently delivered strong performances and led the roster.
After missing the first three preseason games due to a left shoulder contusion, Kessler returned and immediately made his case as the team’s most impactful player.
In the matchup against the Trail Blazers, the fourth-year center posted 14 points, 10 rebounds, a career-high eight assists, two blocks, and two steals in just 25 minutes. He shot 6-of-9 from the field, including a perfect 1-of-1 from three-point range.
ARE YOU SERIOUS, WALKER KESSLER ⁉️
Triple… Block… Touchdown. pic.twitter.com/SGEY5W2OJj
— NBA (@NBA) October 17, 2025
Although Kessler doesn’t match Rudy Gobert’s defensive reputation, he anchors the paint better than anyone else on the roster, and offers a clear upgrade over backup Jusuf Nurkic, who struggled defensively in the first three preseason games.
Nurkic brings offensive versatility, but his slower style limits transition opportunities — an area where Kessler thrives.
The Jazz chose not to offer Kessler a contract extension this summer, which could have led him to approach the season with less urgency. Instead, he responded with one of the best games of his career.
If he keeps playing at this level, he’ll not only solidify his status as one of the Jazz’s top players — he’ll earn a contract that reflects it.
Hardy Shakes Up Starting Lineup
In the Jazz’s final preseason game, head coach Will Hardy made a change to the starting lineup.
With Kessler back in action, Hardy started rookie Kyle Filipowski at power forward and moved third-year forward Taylor Hendricks to the bench.
Filipowski, who missed the first two preseason games with a sciatic nerve injury, has struggled since returning. On Thursday, he scored nine points on 2-of-7 shooting.
Hendricks performed better off the bench. In 25 minutes, he scored eight points, grabbed seven rebounds, and shot 3-of-4 from the field.
flippin’ out‼️#TakeNote pic.twitter.com/786TRYJNvs
— Utah Jazz (@utahjazz) October 17, 2025
As the team’s second-best rim protector behind Kessler, Hendricks may see his minutes staggered to ensure Hardy keeps at least one shot blocker on the floor at all times.
Hardy could also be experimenting with lineups that separate Filipowski and Jusuf Nurkic, since neither player offers much rim protection.
Before his injury, Filipowski was the favorite to win the starting power forward job. His absence gave Hendricks a chance to make his case.
With the preseason now over and only a small sample size to evaluate, Hardy faces his first tough decision on how to shape the rotation heading into the regular season.
Next Utah Jazz Broadcast
The Jazz will open the regular season against the Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday at 7 p.m. MST. The game will be televised on KJZZ, streamed on Jazz+, and heard on97.5 The KSL Sports Zone.
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Ben Anderson is the Utah Jazz insider for KSL Sports and the co-host of Jake and Ben from 10-12p with Jake Scott on 97.5 The KSL Sports Zone . Find Ben on Twitter at @BensHoops, on Instagram @BensHoops, or on BlueSky.