Walker Kessler shines in Lakers preseason debut

Strong start for the new center

Los Angeles Lakers center Walker Kessler made a strong first impression in his preseason debut Tuesday. The big man had 11 points on 4-for-6 shooting, nine rebounds, one block and one steal in a 101-89 loss to the Golden State Warriors, playing only in the first half. It had been 347 days since Kessler last appeared in an NBA game on Oct. 31 of last season for the Utah Jazz before undergoing season-ending surgery to repair a torn labrum in his left shoulder in November. After an offseason sign-and-trade to Los Angeles, he had to wait a little longer due to a jammed left pinkie finger.

Kessler said he was nervous before the game because it had been so long. Teammate Austin Reaves, who led Los Angeles with 28 points and seven assists, said Kessler was key for the team's offensive flow. Reaves noted that Kessler created good looks from three-point range by rolling hard to the basket and putting pressure on the rim. Lakers coach JJ Redick praised the effort of the five-year veteran, noting that he ran the floor well, grabbed terrific rebounds in traffic, and protected the rim.