Walker Kessler, Taylor Hendricks Give-And-Go To Set Up Alley-Oop Slam
Oct 28, 2024, 7:21 PM | Updated: Feb 11, 2025, 2:14 pm
SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH - OCTOBER 04: Head Coach Will Hardy of the Utah Jazz talks to Walker Kessler #24 during a game against the New Zealand Breakers on October 04, 2024 at Delta Center in Salt Lake City, Utah. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jamie Sabau/Getty Images)
(Photo by Jamie Sabau/Getty Images)
DALLAS – In the first quarter against the Dallas Mavericks, two of the Utah Jazz’s young bigs connected on a highlight alley-oop play.
Walker Kessler found Taylor Hendricks on a backdoor cut and got the ball right back for a big slam.
bigs doing big things 🤝#TakeNote pic.twitter.com/215uK7oeVC
— Utah Jazz (@utahjazz) October 29, 2024
In the opening quarter, Hendricks couldn’t find the bottom of the net but did the other things with two assists and an offensive rebound.
Kessler got off to a great start in Dallas. He had four points, four rebounds, a steal, and a block in his first nine minutes on the court.
Despite the contributions from Kessler and the other starters, the Jazz trailed 27-19 after one.
After one the @utahjazz trail the @dallasmavs 27-19.
Jazz shoot 27 percent from the floor and 22 percent from three in the opening frame.#takenotepic.twitter.com/oH4ziyVNBU
— KSL Sports (@kslsports) October 29, 2024
Other than the easy looks at the rim, Utah struggled mightily from the field in the first.
Lauri Markkanen and Collin Sexton were the leading scorers with five points a piece.
Jazz Go South To Face Mavericks In Road Opener
The Utah Jazz will look for their first win of the season as they travel to Dallas to face the Mavericks on Monday night.
The Jazz are 0-2 to open the year with both losses coming at home. The Mavericks are 1-1 on the season, coming off a loss on the road to the Phoenix Suns.
Utah got blown out by the Golden State Warriors 127-86 on Friday night.
The team shot just 31 percent from the floor, tied for the 12th-worst shooting performance in franchise history, and fell to 0-15 all-time when failing to reach 32 percent.
Lauri Markkanen shot 4-17 from the floor, Collin Sexton was 4-13, and Keyonte George was 4-12.
The @utahjazz cold shooting night doomed them against the @warriors.
And, early in the season, the starters have jelled, the second-unit has not. #TakeNote https://t.co/kXra6mDCk0
— KSL Sports (@kslsports) October 26, 2024
It’s been a difficult start to the season for George who is now shooting 7-30 from the floor to open the season, including 3-16 inside the arc.
The guard shot 48 percent from the floor and 44 percent from three in four preseason appearances, but hasn’t been able to recreate that success in the Jazz’s first two games.
Through two games, the Jazz own the second-worst offensive rating in the NBA at 101.0, the third-worst defensive rating at 121.6, and the worst overall net rating at -20.7.
