I cannot tell you how frustrated I am that Kuzma did not start over Deng tonight. Deng showed absolutely NOTHING in pre-season to suggest he should be starting. I'm so sick of Luke trying to keep the bench together at the expense of the starters coming out of the gates looking like crap each time. Kuzma better be in the starting lineup tonight.
I didn't understand this. If you're going to make a weird call in the starting 5 and throw Ingram in at guard (a position he probably is too slow laterally to play), you do it to get a player like Kuzma into the starting lineup. You don't do it to start the worst contract in the NBA.
Such a steal. He had plays tonight that Randle hasn't made his entire time here. I'd be shocked if we aren't running Ball/KCP/Ingram/Kuz/Lopez at the end of the year.
His offense will come and go, but I need better defensive effort and where the boards at homie? A team worst -18 while you're on the floor. You're part of the reason the Suns came back down the stretch. You've earned your time closing out games...keep it Kuz. Play both sides of the court, my dude. You're totally capable of it.
He had a key stop down the stretch then went down the floor and scored a tough bucket. That was special play making by Kk.
?? He played great defense down the stretch and hit the big shots when we needed it. I don't remember anyone breaking Kuz down this game while he was on defense, so I'm a little confused by the above.
He constantly moves off ball offensively, he get's himself open and has the skills to make some tough shots.
I noticed him talking a lot on defense and directing players where to be. Rare for a rookie, non-starter, in only his 2nd game to do that.
When you have a C- game and still have 15 points and good shooting percentage, that is a good sign. Especially for a rookie.
BT20: Kuz is my guy...its just tough love on my part. Love how this guy plays and I expect alot out of him as a result. He denies the 3 ball from the wing really well, but I hope he can develop better help defense rotations and securing the board. He's built pretty rangy, so when he denies the 3ball extensively, then he's not really reaching in on those dribble drives hoping to disrupt that type of penetration or passing lanes. He didn't have a single foul called on him, so I feel that he needs to try and deter those type of drives instead of paying too much attention on denying his man from beyond the 3 point arc. Also, I understand he's probably encouraged to leak out so that Zo can secure the board and work it up to him for easy transition buckets, but for the times that Zo isn't in the game, I feel he needs to crash those boards. On the final play of the game, the Lakers gave up a board to the FT shooter that could have sent the game to OT and BI had fouled out at that point. So I want him to box out and get those boards. Tyson Chandler had another offensive board on our guys in the 4th quarter as well. The Suns had 10 offensive boards and of course I'm not saying its all on Kuz, I just want him to board better cause he's certainly capable of it. On offense, he tried to get a few orebs too, but with a little more time in the weight room, he could be getting those soon enough. He's too talented and has too much bball IQ to be a net negative while he's on the floor. When he comes in with that 2nd unit, he has to realize he's probably going to be "the" guy even if Randle is supposed to be in that role right now. With that 2nd unit, they give up buckets and its affecting Kuz's net impact on the court, but if he busts his butt with that 2nd unit, he will continue to earn those clutch minutes that he's already accustomed to seeing. Dude's got defensive talent and athleticism to board with the best of them...I just want him to continue to develop that as well as the offensive groove he's worked himself into. Kuz has way too much bball savvy/IQ to earn a net negative effect on the court (worst on the team last night), with only 3 boards. He had the 2nd worst net rating (behind Randle) against the Clips with only 4 boards in that game. I know I'm being nit-picky...but now that he's one of my favorite Lakers on the team, I'm going to want the best from him, cause I know he's capable of it and has the right mindset to be a stud in this league.
The thread title says it all. We're all raving about him and rightfully so. There were concerns about how his SL play would adjust against real competition but I don't have doubts that he will be just fine like our other rook.
@vasashi17 I agree he can rebound better. But with that 2nd unit, he's gonna have a hard time scoring with Randle and Clarkson fighting each other for "who can shoot the most". That's why his real value is crunch time with that Ball Boy. Taking what the defense gives, finding open spots, running the floor.
