Running up to the NBA trade deadline, many armchair GMs had a pipe dream that the Celtics could target Walker Kessler. With a year left on his rookie contract and Boston’s relationship with Danny Ainge, maybe their former President of Basketball Operations would do them a solid and send them the big man.
In the end, a deal obviously didn’t materialize, but the Celtics decided to target him another way on Monday night.
After a night when Al Horford was targeted by the Lakers 23 times on Saturday night and the veteran stood tall against LeBron James and Luka Doncic, Boston took it to Kessler in similar fashion. Even though they were down a few key killer whales (mainly Jayson Tatum and Kristaps Porzingis), it was still a feeding frenzy.
Kessler is third in the league in total blocks (118) and blocks per game (2.4). He’s one of the premier rim protectors in the game. However, if pull him away from the restricted area and get him in space, you neutralize the seven-footer’s 7’4 wingspan. Nobody put Kessler in jeopardy as much as Jaylen Brown in Boston’s 114-108 win over the Jazz.
Brown is a three-level scorer, so Kessler has to defend to the level of the three-point line. Unfortunately, that unlocks the drive and levels 2 and 3. Brown stops short and loses Kessler on skates and hits the middy.
Same isolation again. Brown blows past him and misses the bunny.
Two possessions later, Brown hits him with the pump fake, Kessler joins the Parachute Club, and JB sinks the baby hook.
Everything is information. Even if I miss a shot, it just gives me information for the next time and the next shot, how the defender is guarding you, just the feel, the rhythm of the game. All of that is just compiling information. At any given moment, things can switch,” Brown said.
And then at the end of the game, the Grave Digger put the final nail in Utah’s coffin with this poster dunk on Kessler.
“Tonight, I didn’t feel my best physically. Started off missing some shots that I normally make,” Brown continued. “But throughout the game, it just gave me information and things like that — like how Kessler was playing me, how he guarded me, and in the fourth quarter, I was able to make some plays.”
It was the play that ultimately thwarted the Jazz’s comeback bid and extended the Celtics’ win streak to five with Oklahoma City in town on Wednesday to wrap up the homestand. According to Second Spectrum player tracking, Kessler defended Brown on eight possessions with Brown scoring 4-of-8 times and getting to the line once.
“I pride myself in looking forward to those moments like when other teams are on a run and our momentum isn’t there — we might have missed some shots,” Brown said after scoring nine points in the fourth quarter. “The pressure is raised and you gotta make a play, make a play for your team and be solid in that. I look forward to those moments when my team looks to me to make a play and tonight, I was able to deliver.”
