All-Defense

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Ryan Kostecka

It's not that Will Hardy is tired of the questions being asked; he's just running out of ways to answer.

What makes Kris Dunn so good defensively? What value does he bring to this team? How important of a pickup was he late last season?

"Obviously, Kris is really valuable to our team. … he gives our team a swagger," Hardy said. "Kris is always the center of attention when he's in a room, like he has that personality. He's got that kind of magnetic way about him. I think that aspect of Kris has been huge for us. … He has great banter with all of his teammates, he's got great banter with me."

To Hardy's credit, he constantly flashes a smile when someone begins to ask a question about Dunn. He understands how remarkable Dunn's journey has been, going from a top-five pick in 2016 to playing in the G-League as late as last season to now being back in the NBA. While returning to the league is an accomplishment, Dunn is doing more than taking up a spot on the bench.&nbsp;

Dunn has emerged as a critical figure for Utah this season, starting 25 games as the Jazz have completely flipped their season. It's no surprise that Utah's turnaround coincided with his entrance into the rotation. Coming off the bench to begin the year, he moved into the starting lineup against Detroit on Dec. 21. Since then, the Jazz have gone 16-8, climbing to 10th place in the West and firmly in the play-in tournament. 

While his stats are modest as a starter — 5.1 points, 4.3 assists, and 2.9 rebounds — Dunn's influence goes beyond the box score. And that was never more prevalent than in Tuesday night's 124-117 victory over Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Oklahoma City.&nbsp;

With Gilgeous-Alexander dropping 19 points in the first half as the Thunder took a seven-point lead at the break, Hardy had a decision to make. Would he stick to his regular rotation over the final 24 minutes? Or would he do something he's rarely done — match minutes to where Dunn mirrors the time when Gilgeous-Alexander is on the court?

"I've talked a lot about how halftime is an opportunity for us to look at what's happening in the game and make some adjustments. … And we felt like going into the second half, we wanted to try and match Kris' minutes with Shai," Hardy said.&nbsp;

Ultimately, Hardy and his staff felt that this was Utah's best chance at taking down the top team in the West.

"There's obviously hard choices that had to be made every night because that cuts certain people's minutes and changes the lineups and rotations. … But we just felt like our best chance to hang around in the game was if we could limit Shai's dribble penetration."

As the primary defender on Gilgeous-Alexander, Dunn limited the All-Star to nine points on 3-of-10 shooting in the second half. He also forced two turnovers and blocked two of Gilgeous-Alexander's shots.&nbsp;

"I just stay ready," Dunn said. "I'm grateful to be in the position that I am. … Tonight, when we mirrored my minutes, I felt good being out there."

"I thought Kris had some magnificent moments one-on-one," Hardy added. "We knew that it was going to take more than one person, but we do understand that Kris on the ball initially does the best job on our team. He's a terrific defender, has amazing instincts, has a great mix of physicality and agility. His ability to move defensively, the athleticism that he has with his back to the basket, sliding, opening up his hips, getting low, and being strong, is really impressive. … He's a big reason why we won the game."

While everyone in the locker room — and the organization — is thrilled about Dunn's success as a comeback story, Lauri Markkanen might be at the top of the list.&nbsp;

Markkanen's rookie season in 2017 with the Bulls was also Dunn's first season in Chicago. They were teammates for three years and formed a special bond, with Dunn serving as a veteran from whom Markkanen could ask questions and learn. When reunited in Utah late last season, the roles were reversed as Markkanen helped Dunn settle in — and the results have been exceptional.

"I'm really happy for him," Markkanen said. "He's been doing it for a long time. … He fought his way through the G-league, and I'm just happy to have him healthy and doing what he does. We all know what he can do, and he's just gotten better year by year. Offensively, he was more of a threat than he was when I played with him last time. … Defensively, obviously, he's got his body right."

Make no mistake, while Dunn's resurgence is remarkable and a feel-good story, it's rooted in the grind of physicality and defense. Despite being one of the top defensive guards since he was drafted in 2016, Dunn has yet to make an all-defensive team in the NBA. He's not shy from saying it's a goal of his — but rather than just talk about it, he's letting his play speak the loudest.

a-terrific-defender-more-than-a-comeback-story-dunn-making-a-legitimate-push-for-all-defense

“A Terrific Defender” — More Than a Comeback Story, Dunn Making a Legitimate Push for All-Defense

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All‑Defense

“A Terrific Defender” — More Than a Comeback Story, Dunn Making a Legitimate Push for All-Defense