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Walker Kessler jokes ‘there was a pile’ of rust against Nikola Jokic

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Cite

Rohlin, M. (2026, October 17). Walker Kessler jokes ‘there was a pile’ of rust against Nikola Jokic. New York Post. https://nypost.com/2026/10/17/sports/walker-kessler-nikola-jokic-nba-preseason-matchup/

Dated from the outlet's own feed. Check the original for its byline.

New York Post · collected 2026-10-17 · by Melissa Rohlin

Quick Summary

Walker Kessler, who missed most of last season due to shoulder surgery, made his preseason debut against the Warriors on Tuesday and performed well. However, facing Nikola Jokic in an exhibition game against the Nuggets on Friday revealed some rust; Kessler struggled with 2-for-8 shooting but acknowledged learning from playing against a top player like Jokic, who had a stellar performance. The Lakers acquired Kessler this offseason for significant compensation, hoping he can bolster their defense after finishing 20th in defensive rating last season.
Written by AI on 2026-10-17, from this article's own text only (the story summary below draws on all the coverage).

AI analysis

Story summary

The Los Angeles Lakers revealed their potential starting lineup in the preseason finale on Friday night, featuring a surprising twist. The team started Matisse Thybulle and Ziaire Williams alongside Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves, and Walker Kessler against the Denver Nuggets at Crypto.com Arena. Doncic, Reaves, and Kessler, who are collectively known as the "Big 3" and are the three highest-paid players on the team, were already confirmed starters before Friday's game. The inclusion of Thybulle over Quentin Grimes was unexpected but clarified by coach JJ Redick that Grimes will still start in regular-season games.

In their preseason debut against the Nuggets, Walker Kessler experienced "growing pains," finishing with six points on 2-for-8 shooting, while facing Nikola Jokic, who had an impressive performance. Despite the rust evident from his limited playing time last season due to shoulder surgery, Kessler showed promise in previous games but struggled against a high-caliber opponent like Jokic.

The Lakers' Big 3 demonstrated potential but also highlighted areas needing improvement as they face adjustments and lack of practice together before the regular season begins.

Written for “Lakers Preseason Performance” on 2026-11-03, grounded in this article and the 3 other(s) covering the same event.

Story

📰 Lakers Preseason Performance
Sports · 4 article(s) covering the same event. See how they differ ↓

Compared with similar articles

This article reads unscored and hedges 0% of its claims. Each row says how that neighbour differs.
Walker Kessler expecting pregame jitters ahead of Lakers debut Different event
New York Post
Hedges 0 of 22 claims Outlet record 66/100
“Article A describes Walker Kessler's performance in a preseason game against the Nuggets, while Article B discusses his expectations and pregame jitters before his regular season debut against the Warriors.”
Lakers’ Walker Kessler makes immediate impact by being ‘relentless’ Different event
New York Post
Hedges 0 of 22 claims Outlet record 66/100
“The articles describe different games involving Walker Kessler, one against the Warriors and another against the Nuggets.”
Moment Warriors rookie learns he’s guarding Luka Doncic goes viral: ‘What the f–k’ Different event
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Hedges 1 of 22 claims Outlet record 66/100
“Article A describes a moment during the Warriors-Lakers preseason game when Yaxel Lendeborg learns he's guarding Walker Kessler instead of Luka Doncic. Article B covers Walker Kessler's performance against Nikola Jokic in a later Lakers-Nuggets exhibition game.”
Former NBA champion makes bold Lakers prediction as Opening Night approaches Different event
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Hedges 0 of 14 claims Outlet record 66/100
“Article A discusses Kendrick Perkins' prediction for the upcoming NBA season, while Article B covers Walker Kessler's performance in a preseason game against Nikola Jokic.”
Lakers experience ‘growing pains’ in first look with Big 3 Same event
New York Post
Hedges 1 of 21 claims Outlet record 66/100
Lakers still have plenty to clean up with 2 preseason games left Different event
New York Post
Hedges 3 of 24 claims Outlet record 66/100
“While both articles mention Walker Kessler's performance, Article A discusses his potential debut and health updates before preseason games, while Article B specifically covers Kessler's actual game against the Warriors on Tuesday and subsequent game against the Nuggets.”
Lakers’ Walker Kessler makes preseason debut in against Warriors Different event
New York Post
Hedges 0 of 8 claims Outlet record 66/100
“Article A describes Kessler's debut against Warriors, while Article B discusses his performance in a later game against Nuggets.”
How this article was measured signals, leaning charts, publisher record, byline, topics and claims

Signals How these are calculated →

Claims extracted
22
sentences that state something as happening or true
Uncertain
0%
0 of 22 hedged ("reportedly", "may", "according to")
Leaning
not political
takes no side on a contested political question
Publisher signals
66/100
New York Post's corrections and hedging, across everything collected from it. Not a measure of accuracy.
Outlets on this story
4
Sports
Same framing elsewhere
1
articles that frame the event the way this one does
Analyzed 2026-10-17 · how these are computed

How this is being covered How these are calculated →

Article leaning vs. publisher reliability
Source leaning vs. consistency

Publisher

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Running correction rate · 35 correction(s)
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Who wrote this

Melissa Rohlin
43 article(s) here · 1 carrying a prediction
🔮 Carr’s potential debut could be well-timed for a Lakers’ bench that was outscored by the Warriors’ reserves, 50-7, in LA’s 112-95 loss to Golden State on Friday.
2026-11-01 · assertive framing · Lakers’ rookie gets closer to making season debut with latest injury update
🔮 The Warriors chose to draft Lendeborg with the No. 11 pick because they needed someone who could contribute right away.
2026-10-30 · assertive framing · Yaxel Lendeborg is making a name for himself with Warriors
🔮 Luka Doncic (back tightness) and Ziaire Williams (left foot soreness) are out against the Clippers on Wednesday in the second night of a back-to-back following the Lakers’ 136-129 loss to the Trail Blazers on Tuesday.
2026-10-28 · assertive framing · Lakers superstar out against Clippers in second night of back-to-back
🔮 James, who’s turning 42 years old this season, could actually win his fifth championship if the 76ers keep this up.
2026-10-25 · assertive framing · NBA power rankings: Lakers look dangerous as LeBron’s title hopes heat up
🔮 This is who could turn them into contenders.
2026-10-24 · assertive framing · Walker Kessler is exactly who the Lakers needed
🔮 This could get ugly for Lendeborg.
2026-10-22 · assertive framing · Yaxel Lendeborg poured fuel on fire, awakened the beast in Luka Doncic
🔮 Shortly after the Lakers stunned the basketball world by acquiring Luka Dončić from the Mavericks ahead of the trade deadline, they sent Knecht, Cam Reddish, a future first-round pick and a pick swap to the Hornets in exchange for Mark Williams.
2026-10-20 · assertive framing · Failed Lakers trade prophesized Dalton Knecht’s epic downfall
🔮 A lot could happen.
2026-10-18 · assertive framing · California Post’s NBA Awards predictions: Luka or Wemby? Spurs or Lakers?
🔮 Each week, Melissa Rohlin of the California Post will power rank the NBA’s 30 teams: 1.
2026-10-18 · assertive framing · California Post’s NBA Power Rankings: Lakers among top teams
🔮 With nine new players, the Lakers will have some kinks to work out.
2026-10-17 · assertive framing · Lakers gave us plenty to get excited about this preseason
Also by Melissa Rohlin
Lakers’ rookie gets closer to making season debut with latest injury update
2026-11-01 · New York Post
Yaxel Lendeborg is making a name for himself with Warriors
2026-10-30 · New York Post
Lakers superstar out against Clippers in second night of back-to-back
2026-10-28 · New York Post
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2026-10-26 · New York Post
Nothing else under this byline is closely related to this article, so these are simply their most recent.
All 43 articles by Melissa Rohlin →

Topics

Lakers NBA.com Nuggets Utah Warriors

Subjects

Kessler PERSON · 8× Lakers ORG · 6× Warriors ORG · 4× Jokic PERSON · 3× Nuggets ORG · 2× Luka PERSON · 1× Nikola Jokic PERSON · 1× Utah GPE · 1× Walker PERSON · 1× Walker Kessler PERSON · 1×

Narrative

They didn’t show in his preseason debut when Kessler shined with 11 points on 4-for-6 shooting, nine rebounds, one blocked shot and one steal in the first half of the Lakers’ 101-89 exhibition loss to the Warriors on Tuesday.
framing: assertive · carried by 1 article(s) · first seen 2026-10-17
🔮 After only playing five games last season because of season-ending shoulder surgery, Walker Kessler was expected to have a few cobwebs this preseason.
2026-10-17 · New York Post
Walker Kessler jokes ‘there was a pile’ of rust against Nikola Jokic · assertive framing

Claims (22 extracted, 0 hedged)

After only playing five games last season because of season-ending shoulder surgery, Walker Kessler was expected to have a few cobwebs this preseason. asserted
Kessler → play → cobwebs
They didn’t show in his preseason debut when Kessler shined with 11 points on 4-for-6 shooting, nine rebounds, one blocked shot and one steal in the first half of the Lakers’ 101-89 exhibition loss to the Warriors on Tuesday. asserted
Kessler → show → Tuesday
But Nikola Jokic unearthed them. asserted
Jokic → unearth → them
Walker finished with six points on 2-for-8 shooting, six rebounds, four assists, two blocked shots and one steal in 31 minutes in the Lakers’ 121-106 exhibition loss to the Nuggets on Friday. asserted
Walker → finish → Friday
Meanwhile, Jokic, a three-time MVP and one-time champion with the Nuggets in 2023, poured in 17 points on 7-for-8 shooting from the field, 3-for-4 from beyond the arc, six rebounds, eight assists and two steals in 31 minutes. asserted
Jokic → pour → minutes
“It knocked off a lot of rust,” Kessler said of playing against Jokic, flashing a smile. asserted
Kessler → knock → smile
There’s a reason why he is who he is. asserted
he → ’ → ?
He’s arguably the best big in the league and best player in the league. asserted
He → ’ → league
I would argue Luka’s better, obviously, for obvious reasons. asserted
Luka → argue → reasons
But, yeah, he’s an exceptional player and for a preseason game, getting a regular-season game feel in that first half was really good for me and I think it was good for the team.” asserted
it → ’ → team
Kessler, who suffered a torn left labrum in November, went 347 days without playing basketball before this preseason. asserted
who → suffer → preseason
The Lakers acquired him this offseason in a sign-and-trade with Utah, giving up two future unprotected first-round picks and two first-round pick swaps on top of a four-year, $130 million contract. asserted
Lakers → acquire → contract
Kessler is considered one of the league’s elite rim protectors and rebounders. asserted
Kessler → consider → protectors
In the five games he played last season, he averaged 14.4 points, 10.8 rebounds, three assists, 1.8 steals and 1.4 blocks. asserted
he → play → points
In 2024-2025, Kessler contested 7.5 shots per game at the rim, per NBA.com, which tied him for fifth most in the league. asserted
which → contest → league
Against the Warriors, Kessler showed the type of difference he can make for the Lakers, who were 20th in defensive rating last season. asserted
who → show → rating
The Lakers outscored the Warriors by 15 points. asserted
Lakers → outscore → points
They were outscored by 27. asserted
They → outscore → 27
The challenge level was dialed up in intensity against Jokic, who finished third last season in MVP voting, ahead of the Lakers’ season opener against the Warriors on Wednesday. asserted
who → dial → Wednesday
“It’s been a long time since I’ve really competed against someone like that. asserted
I → compete → that
I mean since November basically of last year,” Kessler said. asserted
Kessler → mean → year
“So definitely it was nice to get that in before it actually counts.” asserted
it → get → that
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