Jazz Down Breakers To Open Preseason
Oct 4, 2024, 10:21 PM | Updated: 10:49 pm
Lauri Markkanen (23) of the Utah Jazz puts up a shot during a NBA preseason game against the New Zealand Breakers (Credit: Brice Tucker, Deseret News)
(Credit: Brice Tucker, Deseret News)
SALT LAKE CITY – The Utah Jazz downed the New Zealand Breakers 116-87 to open the 2024-25 preseason.
Johnny Juzang led the Jazz with 19 points despite not playing in the first half.
Lauri Markkanen added 13 points while John Collins and Keyonte George each scored 12.
Room To Grow For Jazz Youngsters
It should come as no surprise that after just one preseason game, there’s plenty of room for growth from every young player on the Jazz roster.
Cody Williams had the highlight of the night scoring his first two NBA points on a highlight reel dunk over the Breakers.
The 10th overall pick displayed his strong defensive instincts throughout the game and finished with six points, four rebounds, and three assists.
Lottery pick Cody Williams scored his first @utahjazz points with a poster dunk over the @NZBreakers. #TakeNote https://t.co/urIhMTdSNH
— KSL Sports (@kslsports) October 5, 2024
Isaiah Collier stuffed the stat sheet with two points, one rebound, six assists, and three steals, but committed five turnovers and shot just 1-3 from the floor in 20 minutes.
Kyle Filipowski played the least among Jazz rookies recording two points, four rebounds, one block, one assist, one steal, and two turnovers in 14 minutes.
George looked comfortable in the starting lineup shooting 4-6 from the floor including 2-4 from three and dishing out five assists.
Brice Sensabaugh tried his hand at point guard late in the game with solid results.
“I think Bryce is a really good player,” Jazz coach Will Hardy said. “He’s really talented, but it’s on myself and the staff to try to figure out how to maximize that.”
The second-year player out of Ohio State recorded 12 points, six rebounds, two assists, and three steals.
T-H3nny makin’ it look easy 🕺#TakeNote | @tayxhendricks pic.twitter.com/zpfGKZPiuZ
— Utah Jazz (@utahjazz) October 5, 2024
Taylor Hendricks finished with five points, three rebounds, one assist, two steals, and a block in 24 minutes as a starter.
Juzang looked the most ready for minutes as he knocked down 7-9 field goal attempts including 5-6 from downtown. The third-year forward signed a four-year deal with the Jazz this offseason, but only the first year of the contract is guaranteed.
“I was just excited to get out there,” Juzang said of his explosive second half.
Walker Kessler Looks Bigger
Even in pregame, it was clear that Walker Kessler had added weight this offseason.
After saying he was up to over 270 pounds when training camp opened, Kessler’s shoulders and legs were noticeably larger, but he didn’t look like he’d sacrificed any athleticism with the growth.
“He still may not be where he wants to get to,” Hardy said, “but I think the work he’s done on his body has given him a different confidence physically.”
I do think Walker Kessler looks noticeably larger.
Some of the bigger guys in the league (Brook Lopez etc) used to really push him around and this should help.#TakeNote | @kslsports pic.twitter.com/9LIX5766gT
— Ben Anderson (@BensHoops) October 4, 2024
Confidence will be key for Kessler in his third year after an early season injury, and subsequent loss of his starting job hamstrung his sophomore campaign.
“He’s been able to sort of recenter himself and I think he’s in a really good place right now,” Hardy added. “If the trend continues from what we’ve seen the first three days of training camp, I would expect him to have a good season.”
Kessler finished the game with eight points, nine rebounds, two assists, and a block in 25 minutes.
Finland Well Represented Between Jazz And Breakers
Between Markkanen and Breakers head coach Petteri Koponen, Finnish basketball was well represented in Salt Lake City on Friday night.
To date, only two Finnish players have ever suited up in the NBA — Markkanen, and former University of Utah star Hanno Möttölä who played two seasons for the Atlanta Hawks between 2000-02.
Koponen nearly followed Möttölä after getting selected by the Philadelphia 76ers with the final pick of the first round of the 2007 draft but never made the leap to the States.
Instead, the guard turned in a successful 16-year career across the Italian, European, and Spanish professional leagues.
Here’s Lauri Markkanen and @NZBreakers head coach Petteri Koponen (right) when they played for the Finnish National Team in 2017. pic.twitter.com/TlQBSUhKDB
— Ben Anderson (@BensHoops) October 5, 2024
Markkanen grew up idolizing the guard and shared the floor with him on the Finnish National Team.
“He assisted me on my first bucket so I always hold that important,” Markkanen said. “It was a surreal moment for me to actually train and play with him after looking up to him the whole childhood.”
The two Finns spent time together on Thursday after the Breakers arrived in Utah, and planned to go to dinner Friday after the Jazz win.
“Who would have thought that we actually would meet on the NBA floor like that?” Markkanen said with a proud smile. “It’s cool.”
Next Utah Jazz Broadcast
After beating the Breakers, the Jazz will host the Houston Rockets on Monday at 7 pm MST in Salt Lake City. The game will be televised on KJZZ, streamed on Jazz+, and can be heard on 97.5 The KSL Sports Zone.
Are you on Threads yet? Let’s connect, give us a follow @kslsports.
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 or on Instagram @BensHoops.
