Though Eastern Conference groups solely make one journey to Salt Lake City every season to play the Utah Jazz, Toronto Raptors ahead Scottie Barnes came upon Tuesday that he’ll be visiting twice in February.
The first cease might be for Wednesday evening’s recreation towards the Jazz. Then Barnes will return to the Beehive State on Feb. 17 to take part within the NBA’s Rising Stars Challenge throughout All-Star Weekend.
Utah, which is internet hosting the midseason festivities for the second time, will even be represented within the Rising Stars occasion, the NBA introduced. Jazz middle Walker Kessler was amongst 11 rookies chosen for the annual honor.
The 21-year-old Barnes, who was named the 2021-22 Rookie of the Year, is averaging 15.7 factors, 7.1 rebounds and 4.9 assists per recreation this season.
Barnes just lately obtained some excessive reward from Warriors star Draymond Green after totaling 24 factors, six rebounds, 5 assists and two blocked photographs in Toronto’s 129-117 loss at Golden State this previous Friday.
“He could be a lot better than me,” Green instructed The Athletic. “I saw a tweet the other day that said, ‘Scottie Barnes’ floor is Draymond Green.’ And that’s a damn good floor. And I believe that. He’s such a special talent.”
It’s common for the 7-foot Kessler to be in comparison with the All-Star participant he changed in Utah, Rudy Gobert. Though he’s not at a Defensive Player of the Year stage fairly but, Kessler has made a splash in his first NBA season by blocking a median of two photographs in 20.2 minutes per recreation.
Kessler, who like Barnes is 21, averages 7.7 factors and seven.3 rebounds whereas capturing a outstanding 71.5 p.c from the sphere. He was picked twenty second general by Memphis final summer season and has discovered a pleasant house in Utah after being traded twice since draft day.
“I’m thankful to my teammates and coaching staff,” Kessler stated. “I wouldn’t be able to do it without them. Very, very excited. Very, very thankful. Very blessed. I’m gonna keep rambling, so I better stop, but very thankful.”
Though the Jazz aren’t practically nearly as good of a defensive workforce since buying and selling Gobert to Minnesota final offseason, Kessler has crammed extra of that void than anticipated. And he was only a small a part of the treasure trove Utah obtained in alternate for Gobert.
“The physical tools that he has allows him to have an opportunity to be successful,” Jazz coach Will Hardy stated. “He’s shown so much growth on both ends of the floor. I think defense probably comes natural to Walker in a lot of ways, but his ability to learn the offense on the fly has been tremendous.”
Kessler’s manufacturing has picked up within the 15 begins he’s made: 10.5 factors, 9.7 rebounds and a pair of.1 blocks in 26.0 minutes.
The Raptors enter Wednesday’s recreation having began a seven-game highway journey 2-2.
“We need every win we can get. It’s just crunch time,” Fred VanVleet instructed reporters after Monday’s 114-106 loss to the Phoenix Suns. “It’s not time for us to try to take moral victories. We need real victories.”
Utah has received 4 of six video games, together with a 108-100 victory over Dallas on Saturday. Lauri Markkanen led the Jazz with 29 factors and Kessler had a double-double of 14 factors and 11 rebounds, plus 5 blocks.
