The LA Clippers were hopeful to get their regular season off on the right foot Wednesday night, but that proved to be very difficult thanks to Utah Jazz center Walker Kessler.
LA fell to the Jazz in the season opener for both teams, 128-109.
Ivica Zubac led the way for the Clippers with 19 points, seven rebounds, and three assists in 27 minutes of play. James Harden added 15 points, two rebounds, and 11 assists for the Clippers, who never led in this game and trailed by 24 point after one quarter of play.
The Utah Jazz saw six players score in double-figures, with Walker Kessler, Lauri Markkanen, and Brice Sensabaugh reach recording at least 20 points.
Kessler led the Jazz in scoring, finishing with 22 points, nine rebounds, four assists, two steals, and four blocked shots while shooting a perfect 7-of-7 from the field against the Clippers.
With that performance, Walker Kessler became the first player in NBA history to record a statline of at least 22 points, nine rebounds four assists, two steals, and four blocks while shooting 100 percent from the field with at least one made three-pointer.
Denver Nuggets forward Bobby Jones also recorded a similar statline in a 105-103 win against the Milwaukee Bucks back on November 6, 1976, but there was no three-point line back then. Kessler became the first player to record that line with a three-pointer.
https://x.com/TomerAzarly/status/1981203416962801855
The Clippers committed nine of their 15 turnovers in the opening period, when the Jazz got out to a 24-point lead. LA would go on to trail by 31 at halftime and by as many as 37 points in the game.
While the Jazz had six players in double figures, they also saw Kyle Filipowski score nine points, Svi Mykhailiuk score nine points, and Jusuf Nurkic add eight points off the bench.
The Clippers will now go home for their home opener against the Phoenix Suns on Friday night while the Jazz will hit the road to take on Sacramento Kings.