SALT LAKE CITY – Walker Kessler had the most productive night of his career, but the Utah Jazz fell to the Toronto Raptors 118-109.
Kessler had 18 points and career-highs with 25 rebounds and eight blocks on 8-11 shooting in the loss.
Game Blog: Turnovers Plague Utah Jazz In Road Loss To Toronto Raptors
Kessler Is Developing Into One Of NBA’s Premier Centers
With Nikola Jokic, Victor Wembanyama, and Chet Holmgren spurring a renaissance for big men in the NBA, finding an upper-echelon starting center is going to be a premium for teams across the league.
While the Jazz are still looking to plug holes throughout their roster two years into their rebuild, the center position isn’t one of them.
Kessler’s massive night is worthy of praise, but it’s just one piece of the puzzle in what has been an incredibly strong third season.
Walker Kessler is the only player in the NBA this season with 10 points, 20 rebounds, and 5 blocks in a game. #takenote | @kslsports
— Ben Anderson (@BensHoops) March 8, 2025
The center entered Friday’s game ranking sixth in the league in rebounds per game (12.1), first in offensive rebounds per game, second in blocks per game (2.3), first in field goal percentage (.727), and third in offensive rating (136.3).
“He’s learned to use his length to keep the ball alive — tip it to himself,” Jazz coach Will Hardy said. “If I can’t quite grab it, but I tip it up in the air, and then I go make a secondary effort on the ball.”
Kessler had 18 rebounds in the first half, tying a Jazz record for most in any half, and finished the game with 13 offensive boards, tying the franchise record.
Related: Kessler Ties Jazz Record In Dominant First Half Against Raptors
“I think he’s shown tremendous growth and relentlessness of just trying to keep plays alive and not making it so much all or nothing,” Hardy added.
𝚂𝚃𝙰𝚃 𝙲𝙷𝙴𝙲𝙺: Walker’s got 7 blocks (ties his career-high!!) 📈#TakeNote | @WalkerKessler13 pic.twitter.com/xEfZ1xckPH
— Utah Jazz (@utahjazz) March 8, 2025
There’s still room for Kessler to improve, as evidenced by his 2-7 performance from the free-throw line.
But after a difficult sophomore season, and questions about whether his game was too old school for the modern NBA, Kessler’s raw production and effect on the game is impossible to argue against.
Though much of the narrative surrounding the Jazz season has ben about their lottery odds at the end of the season, Kessler’s growth has been a major development.
Cody Williams Showing Progress
It’s been an underwhelming rookie campaign for lottery pick Cody Williams who has split time between the G League and the injury report for much of the season.
But since the All-Star break the first-year forward is showing promise as a shooter.
Williams is shooting 41 percent from the floor, and a much improved 41 percent from the three-point line on 2.7 attempts per game while averaging 7.2 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 1.9 assists.
a couple cody buckets for your friday night 🥤🍿 pic.twitter.com/btrruKxmqO
— Utah Jazz (@utahjazz) March 8, 2025
Before the break, the forward averaged 3.9 points, 2.0 rebounds, and 1.3 rebounds while shooting just 30 percent from the floor and 23 percent from three.
Make no mistake, Williams’s game remains raw, and his physique will need to improve significantly before he’s able to be a steady contributor in the NBA.
But his last nine games are by far the best stretch of his young career, and a step in the right direction with the regular season dwindling.
Of Note
Kyle Filipowski is averaging 15.2 points and shooting nearly 53 percent from three since the All-Star Break.
The Jazz remain two games back of the New Orleans Pelicans with the third-worst record in the NBA at 15-48.
At 14-48, the Charlotte Hornets are a half-game back of the Jazz for the second-worst record in the NBA.
Next Utah Jazz Broadcast
The Jazz will travel to face the Philadelphia 76ers on Sunday at 7:30 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.