Lakers at Jazz: What to watch in first road game
Carlos Yakimowich
Host · Writer
Walker Kessler needed only two games to show how much he could change the Los Angeles Lakers' frontcourt. His third game brings a chance to show his former team.
The Lakers visit the Utah Jazz on Sunday for their first road game, taking a 2-0 record into Kessler’s return to the franchise where he began his career.
L.A. has received immediate production from its new center alongside Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves. But winning its first two games has not erased the need for cleaner possessions, particularly after turnovers complicated Friday’s victory over the Clippers.
Here are three things to watch in Utah.
How will Kessler handle his return?Kessler returns to Utah averaging 24 points, 8.5 rebounds and four blocks while shooting 84.6% through two games. His early production has helped establish him as a dependable target for Dončić and Reaves.
Sunday brings a more personal matchup.
“I’m so excited to compete against those guys. Coach Hardy does a great job with that franchise,” Kessler said. “… I think it’s going to be a very competitive game and I’m just so excited to compete.”
The familiarity works both ways. Kessler knows the organization and its approach, while Jazz coach Will Hardy knows the center’s strengths and tendencies.
The Lakers will need the same activity Kessler supplied against the Clippers, when his defensive presence helped turn a tied game at halftime into a double-digit lead.
Can the Lakers clean up their turnovers?L.A. committed 21 turnovers against the Clippers, leaving Redick dissatisfied with its execution against traps despite scoring 125 points.
“So, we know the turnovers is a problem,” Redick said. “We’ll continue to work at it, continue to get better at it.”
His concern was specific: The Lakers struggled against pressure they had already prepared for through film and practice.
“We gotta be better in those situations where we know a team’s gonna trap when we have a double-digit lead,” Redick said.
Against Utah, watch how quickly the Lakers recognize pressure and provide an outlet. Getting the ball out of the trap is only the first step. The next player must make a timely decision before the defense recovers.
Those possessions become particularly important when protecting a lead. L.A. has shown it can generate offense. Reducing avoidable mistakes would give opponents fewer opportunities to work back into games.
Can L.A. sustain its production in the paint?The Lakers scored 66 points in the paint against Golden State and 58 against the Clippers, averaging 62 through two games.
Kessler’s presence has been a major part of that interior offense. His screens and rolls give Dončić and Reaves a finishing target while forcing defenders to account for both the ballhandler and the lob.
Utah’s response will test that developing connection.
If the Jazz commit extra attention to Kessler near the rim, the Lakers must recognize the openings elsewhere. If defenders stay with the guards, his finishes can keep the offense productive inside.
The goal is to keep creating quality opportunities as the defense adjusts, carrying an encouraging early strength into their first road test.
