The 2025-26 NBA season tipped off for the Utah Jazz tonight, with a home game against Kawhi Leonard and the Los Angeles Clippers.
And what a game it was! The Jazz came out strong from the start, with a 15-7 lead only 4 minutes into the game, and looked completely different than last year's group.
The final was a 129-108 Jazz victory over a good Clippers team, which may flip the narrative about this Jazz team's outlook.
Here are the best things about tonight's game:
1. Walker Kessler
Walker Kessler looked like a dominant, two-way big tonight, something Jazz fans have dreamed about but rarely expressed publicly during his first three seasons. From the jump, something was different about the seven-foot-one center, and it wasn't just his hairstyle.
Walker teed up a three-pointer from the top of the key, and the Delta Center ERUPTED as it went through the net! Add to that a dunk, a layup, and another three-pointer made, and we were wondering if Mehmet Okur had come out of retirement to play again.
He finished with 22 points and nine rebounds, as well as four assists, a few steals, and four blocked shots. Kessler had a coming-out party tonight and did it against a respectable center in Ivica Zubac.
2. Keyonte George
Now THIS is what we wanted to see out of Key when he was drafted. Good decision-making, leadership, timely passing, and directing the offense.
Taking full advantage of a renewed opportunity, Keyonte George made a strong statement to be the starting point guard moving forward, with 16 points, nine assists, two steals, and 50% shooting from the field (6 of 11).
Missed in all of this was specific moments where he coached up the younger guys and showed strong teamwork in helping them adjust to the Clippers' defense. Key may have endeared himself to Will Hardy tonight.
3. Dominance and Depth
The Jazz stepped on the gas early in this game and didn't let up. A 20-point lead in the first quarter grew to a 30-point advantage, which they maintained for much of the second half.
And everyone on the court got in on the action - from Svi Mykhailiuk to Brice Sensabaugh, Walter Clayton Jr., even Jusuf Nurkic had a nice night off the bench with eight points, five rebounds, three assists and two steals in 17 minutes, giving the Jazz a proven backup veteran center for when Walker Kessler needs a breather.
Now, the worst items about the night? Yes, there were a few:
1. Ace Bailey having the flu
Ace Bailey's regular season debut was a bit of a dud, sadly as he ended up with a flu bug and played a quiet 15 minutes, with two points and three rebounds, along with two assists. He was definitely impacted and looked exhausted at times when he returned to the bench.
Not getting the start was a disappointment after the preseason hype built off his first few games, but it's understandable the illness was a very good reason to come off the bench tonight.
2. Walker Kessler is going to get PAID
The Jazz made a calculated gambit this offseason, not extending Walker Kessler at an affordable price while they had the chance, justifying this with the thinking that even a solid season would keep him in the $25 million a year range next summer.
Tonight's performance, along with his preseason showings, will awaken the rest of the NBA to Kessler's value, and he will likely receive a substantial offer this summer that will force the Jazz to pay him more than they expected.
3. Cody Williams was MIA
On a night when the Jazz were dominating and everyone seemed to get into the act, second year wing Cody Williams saw the court for two scoreless minutes.
While Williams may have an undisclosed injury or illness, a different theory is that Williams didn't make the grade during preseason and ended up in Will Hardy's doghouse.
We may not know for a while if this is the case, but let's hope that Williams can get it together and have a good season.
Well, that's the best and the worst things about the Jazz season opener. 1 down, 81 games to go! Take note!