How the Jazz defense has responded since Walker Kessler got injured?
The team has been playing without a traditional center in his absence from the lineup
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On November 8, Utah Jazz center Walker Kessler was out for at least two weeks due to an elbow strain. Since that time, the squad has been playing with rookies Keyonte George and Ochai Agbaji in place of the usual centers.
The Jazz had the 28th-best defensive rating before Kessler got hurt. After Kessler’s injury, the Jazz’s defensive rating was 16th in the games played. That’s a significant leap, but given that Kessler is the team’s defensive cornerstone and a guy who prioritizes defense, it kind of defies expectations.
What is happening, then?
To tell the truth, every Jazz player who wasn’t Kessler needed a little wake-up call.
“Everyone has assumed greater responsibility,” stated Jazz head coach Will Hardy. That’s all that’s necessary. Defense is not centered on a single individual. When he plays, Walker contributes greatly to our defense, but I don’t want the other four players to be dependent on him. I want nothing more from them than to live with the thought, “Oh, it’s okay; Walker will take care of it.” I believe that Walker’s absence has, in some sense, increased their consciousness.
“Everyone has assumed greater responsibility,” stated Jazz head coach Will Hardy. That’s all that’s necessary. Defense is not centered on a single individual. When he plays, Walker contributes greatly to our defense, but I don’t want the other four players to be dependent on him. I want nothing more from them than to live with the thought, “Oh, it’s okay; Walker will take care of it.” I believe that Walker’s absence has, in some sense, increased their consciousness.
The Jazz players appreciate their defense far more when Kessler is on the floor, so they really don’t want him to get hurt. However, they had to come to terms with the fact that they would not be successful if they relied solely on Kessler to correct their rim-related errors and instead assumed greater defensive responsibility.
“I do that all the time, so it’s definitely a thing,” Kelly Olynyk remarked, laughing a little too much. “I let Walk block shots and let my guy pass.” When he’s out there, it’s awesome; I enjoy playing with Walker. Now, though, is the time to make sure you’re in a good position and supporting one another right away. And I think that building that has been beneficial for us. After we
