Here’s an adapted version of the article, rewritten in our authoritative yet accessible tone - packed with insight, context, and analysis for fans who want the full picture without the fluff:
Three Deep Dives into the Week in Jazz Basketball
1. The Jazz Find Their Backbone - Again
If there’s been a defining theme for the Utah Jazz early in this 2025-26 season, it’s this: resilience. And not the kind that shows up in postgame quotes - the kind that gets tested after a flat-out embarrassing performance and answered with real change.
That’s exactly what happened this week between the Jazz’s back-to-back matchups with the Rockets. After getting thoroughly outplayed on Sunday, the team - and especially Keyonte George - looked like they were sleepwalking through 48 minutes. It was a performance that lacked energy, focus, and frankly, effort.
So Monday morning, the Jazz hit pause. Not just for film study, but for something deeper: accountability.
“We had a meeting this morning, and we all agreed that’s not who we want to be,” said center Jusuf Nurkic. “That’s not how we represent ourselves or our fans.”
Veteran Kevin Love echoed that sentiment, reminding his younger teammates of what it means to be part of a well-run organization - and not to take it for granted. “I’ve been on teams where we’re not taken care of like we are here,” he said. “Guys took that message and poured it into the team today.”
The result? One of the Jazz’s best performances of the season - a statement win over a 13-4 Rockets squad that had been steamrolling opponents. It wasn’t just a bounce-back; it was a flex.
This isn’t a one-off trend, either. The Jazz have shown a pattern of responding after bad losses.
Get blown out by OKC? Nearly knock off the Lakers the next night.
Fall to the Hornets? Beat the Celtics.
And now this latest rebound against Houston.
But here’s the catch: resilience is great, but consistency is better. If Utah wants to be more than a tough-out lottery team, they’ve got to stop needing these wake-up calls.
Right now, they’re hovering around the ninth spot in the lottery standings - and that’s a complicated place to be. Their first-round pick is top-8 protected, owed to Oklahoma City if it falls outside that range.
So while this team’s grit is admirable - and a sign of culture-building under Will Hardy - it also puts them in a bit of a basketball purgatory. Too good to tank, not good enough to contend. It’s the classic catch-22 of a team trying to build something real while still figuring out who they are.
2. The Rockets Are Redefining Offensive Rebounding - and the Jazz Are Taking Notes
Let’s talk about something that doesn’t always make headlines but absolutely changes games: offensive rebounding. And right now, the Houston Rockets are doing it at a level that borders on historic.
Through the early part of the season, the Rockets are grabbing 38.4% of their own misses. That’s not just good - it’s absurd.
For context, that puts them third all-time in NBA history, and no team in the modern era has even come close. The next-best team this century?
The 2001-02 Warriors - and they’re way down the list at 66th.
How are the Rockets pulling this off? It starts with personnel.
Steven Adams is the engine here - and he’s not just elite, he’s out-rebounding entire teams on the offensive glass. Seriously.
His individual offensive rebounding percentage is higher than 15 NBA teams.
But it’s not just Adams. Houston rolls out a lineup full of length and athleticism - Kevin Durant, Jabari Smith Jr., Amen Thompson - all guys with size and instincts. Even rookie Reed Sheppard, undersized by NBA standards, has a knack for tracking down loose balls.
Then there’s the strategy. Head coach Ime Udoka isn’t just giving his guys the green light to crash the boards - he’s demanding it.
“We want everybody to go,” Udoka said pregame. “Our first layer of transition defense is to attack the glass.”
According to him, when three or more Rockets hit the offensive glass, they’re recovering the rebound 70% of the time. That number might raise eyebrows, but even if it’s a little inflated, the intent is clear: overwhelm teams with second-chance opportunities.
The Jazz, for their part, are catching on. They’re currently posting their best offensive rebounding numbers in two decades and rank seventh in the league. It’s part of a broader trend across the NBA - teams realizing that controlling the glass can be a great equalizer, especially if you’re not elite in shot-making or perimeter defense.
The question now is whether this becomes the next great league-wide evolution - like the rise of the three-point shot - or whether there’s a ceiling to how far offensive rebounding can carry a team. For now, it’s working, and the Jazz are leaning into it.
3. Walker Kessler’s Rehab and the Bigger Picture
Walker Kessler made a rare appearance this week at the Jazz’s practice facility - shoulder sling and all - as he continues to recover from surgery. It was a welcome sight, even if he’s still a ways away from returning to action.
Head coach Will Hardy was quick to note that Kessler’s demeanor hasn’t changed. “He seems like the same special Walker that he always is,” Hardy said. “There’s natural frustration, of course, but I haven’t noticed any downturn in terms of his emotions.”
Kessler’s staying involved - attending practice, film sessions, team events - even if he’s not traveling with the team just yet. Hardy emphasized the importance of keeping him connected, especially as rehab can often feel isolating.
“Of course, I want Walker around the team,” he said. “But that’ll be a little further down the road as his rehab gets more established.”
This isn’t just about getting a player back on the court. Kessler is one of Utah’s foundational pieces - a young big with elite rim protection instincts and a clear role in the team’s long-term vision. How he recovers, both physically and mentally, is one of the most important subplots of the season.
For now, the Jazz are taking the long view. They’re not rushing him, and they shouldn’t.
This season is about development, identity, and setting the stage for what’s next. And when Kessler is healthy, he’s a major part of that equation.
Final Takeaway
The Jazz are still figuring out who they are - a team with flashes of grit, moments of brilliance, and a whole lot of growing pains. But they’re showing signs of a culture that values accountability, effort, and growth. In a season that may not end in playoff basketball, that’s still a win worth building on.