TITLE: Northwest Division Roundup: Jazz Miss Kessler, Lillard Guides Young Blazers, Wolves Falter Late, Thunder Lead Defensive Charts
SLUG: northwest-division-jazz-kessler-out-lillard-leadership-wolves-collapses-thunder-defense
CONTENT:
November 25, 2025 — Teams across the NBA’s Northwest Division are dealing with injuries, crunch-time struggles and historic defensive numbers. Here is the latest:
Jazz Defense Stumbles Without Walker Kessler
Utah’s interior has taken a major hit since Walker Kessler suffered a season-ending shoulder injury late last month. With the second-year center sidelined, head coach Will Hardy has inserted Jusuf Nurkić into the starting lineup. Although Nurkić continues to clean the glass, his reputation as a below-average rim protector has shown. Veteran Kevin Love, 37, is now the primary reserve, and the only alternative is sliding true power forwards to the five.
The defensive slippage is evident: the Jazz have surrendered at least 130 points in six of their past nine contests.
Lillard Offers Guidance as Blazers Snap Skid
The Trail Blazers ended a stretch of seven losses in nine games by defeating Milwaukee on Monday. Star guard Damian Lillard, who is spending the season rehabbing the Achilles injury he sustained during last year’s playoffs, has stepped into a mentorship role.
“I told these dudes: this is the time when you find your true identity,” Lillard said, stressing that adversity—injuries, a rough schedule and recent defeats—can galvanize the roster.
Timberwolves Let Late Leads Slip Away
Back-to-back collapses have rattled Minnesota. On Saturday in Phoenix, the Timberwolves squandered a nine-point cushion with 50 seconds left. Two nights later, they let a 10-point advantage disappear in the final three minutes of regulation before falling 117-112 in overtime to Sacramento.
Center Rudy Gobert called for urgency: “Hopefully we learn. We still have an amazing opportunity ahead of us, but we have to decide who we want to be.”
Thunder Post Eye-Popping Defensive Margin
No defense in the league is stingier than Oklahoma City’s. According to tracking data, the Thunder are allowing 7.5 fewer points per 100 possessions than the second-ranked Mavericks. The gap between Dallas and the No. 22 Bulls is identical, underscoring the Thunder’s separation from the field.
Teams across the Northwest will look to address their respective issues—and capitalize on their strengths—as the season moves toward December.
Source: Hoops Rumors
