Tag: Kyle Kuzma

Kyle Kuzma credits Lakers vets with helping him accept new role

During an interview with Dan Woike of the Los Angeles Times, Kyle Kuzma talked about his new role on a better Los Angeles Lakers team.

Kyle Kuzma has had a few big finishes for the Los Angeles Lakers this season and although he may not play in Sunday afternoon’s game against the Dallas Mavericks, Kuzma is still adjusting to a role of coming off the bench after finishing the last two seasons as a starter.

The subject of Kuzma in a new role was the focus of a new column from Dan Woike of the Los Angeles Times, where they discussed Kuzma adjusting to being a role player on a team with championship aspirations. During the interview, Kuzma credited the team he is on and the teammates he has for helping him catch himself when he gets frustrated about not being featured more.

“That’s just part of sacrifice and trying to be on a winning team,” he said. “Obviously, it’s hard sometimes when you’re a young player wanting to continue to establish yourself and see you measure up across the league. In certain situations, you have the opportunities to just play. It’s hard sometimes — naturally.

“But I’ve got good vets around me, keep things in perspective. I have an opportunity to win a ring in my third year. Sometimes, I just have to catch myself, realize.”

Kuzma has had a few big breakout moments throughout the season like his first big game against Chicago with 11 fourth quarter points or his big shots against the Pelicans on Wednesday to help the Lakers comeback.

Kuzma has eclipsed 20 points only twice this season and he hasn’t reached that mark for over two weeks. Still, that’s not as important as him accepting a role with fewer field goal attempts and focusing on becoming a better defender to be able to play in big moments alongside LeBron James and Anthony Davis. If he’s able to do those little things, the opportunities for big shots will continue to come.

LeBron James and Lakers welcome rolling Doncic and Mavericks

LeBron James and Luka Doncic are set to do battle again after playing one of the league’s best games earlier this season.

LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers are back on the court for a Sunday matinee at the Staples Center when they host Luka Doncic and a strong Dallas Mavericks squad in just a few hours.

The Nov. 1 meeting between these two teams was a 119-110 overtime thriller with James and Doncic exchanging massive triple-double while each scoring over 30 points on the night. The biggest difference down the stretch was that LeBron had considerably more help from his co-star Anthony Davis, who scored 31 points while Kristaps Portzingis only had 16 points on 6 for 16 shooting.

Dwight Howard also played a major role for the Lakers in the Nov. 1 win, playing 27 minutes and anchoring the defense several times down the stretch and even taking Doncic in space on switches. Taking on Doncic will once again be the focal point for the Lakers defense, but it’s a job that is much easier said than done.

It will be interesting to see what kind of defensive coverages the Lakers throw at Doncic, especially with how he’s carried the team offensively. But given how great the last game was, expect LeBron and Doncic to have answers for everything thrown their way.

Lakers news: Bradley out another week, Kuzma questionable for Sunday

The Los Angeles Lakers are closer to getting Avery Bradley back but it will have to be after the team’s upcoming trip.

The Los Angeles Lakers updated their injury report on Saturday afternoon, providing an update on starting guard Avery Bradley’s leg and a new report on a ginger ankle for Kyle Kuzma.

The Lakers announced that Bradley’s hairline fracture has healed to the point where he can start “basketball progression” but that he is still out for another week while the Lakers head out on a three-game road trip after Sunday’s game against Dallas. As for that game against the Mavericks, they could be without Kyle Kuzma as he is dealing with a sprained ankle, according to Harrison Faigen of Silver Screen and Roll.

Without Kuzma, that will likely spring Jared Dudley into duty for the Lakers tomorrow against a very good Mavericks team that is off to a great start of their own. The last meeting between these two teams was one of the best games of the early season, so missing Kuzma will make the Sunday showdown against Luka Doncic just a little bit tougher for the LeBron James and co.

LeBron James drops 33 and 14 to push Lakers to eighth straight win

LeBron James continues to push the Los Angeles Lakers to stay amongst the top of the Western Conference ahead of Anthony Davis homecoming.

The Los Angeles Lakers left the court victorious once again as they’re now on their longest win-streak of the season and continue to add to their NBA-best record at 15-2. With the win, the Lakers have won their eighth straight game, surpassing their seven-game win-streak to begin the season after their opening night loss to the Los Angeles Clippers.

LeBron James led the way with 33 points and 14 points, while the Lakers as a team got some contributions from unexpected places. Rajon Rondo hit three 3-pointers on the night, making all of his attempts, while Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Troy Daniels each made three 3-pointers to join LeBron (four 3-pointers) on the outside barrage that helped the Lakers survive a rough offensive night for Anthony Davis.

Nobody would blame Davis if he were thinking ahead to Wednesday night’s first ever visit to New Orleans in another uniform and the Lakers, particularly LeBron, made sure to do enough to make it so his bad shooting wasn’t a big deal.

But the dessert of the road trip is now on the horizon as Anthony Davis makes his return to New Orleans. But the best thing for Davis to take heed of is that no matter how bad it is in New Orleans, LeBron has seen and experienced worse.

Shelburne: Josh Hart made calls to Lakers after podcast remarks

The former Los Angeles Lakers guard apparently called the team after statements on his podcast about the Lakers being ‘depressing.’

Anthony Davis and his first game in New Orleans as a visitor is already making plenty of headlines even though Davis and the Los Angeles Lakers don’t play the Pelicans until Wednesday night. But of course, there’s another side to the coin and that is that Wednesday will also be the first time for many of the former baby Lakers of last year to play against their former squad.

One Pelican who made headlines after leaving the Lakers was guard Josh Hart, who had some interesting things to say on an episode of his podcast with fellow teammate Lonzo Ball. Hart alleged that times within the Lakers organization were depressing but apparently, that was a part of the podcast that wasn’t meant for listeners, according to ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne.

“When my sarcasm, that wasn’t supposed to be in that — it was supposed to be cut — was in there, I called some of the people in the [Lakers] front office, I called some of my teammates that I had and made sure they knew that none of this stuff was about you guys,” Hart told ESPN on Sunday night.

“I loved my time here. I loved my time here and I wouldn’t have changed it for the world. I love Laker Nation. They show so much love, so much support.”

Hart was one of the most beloved Lakers on last year’s team and Lakers fans understandably wish him well despite the comments that went public. But given the way things are going this year with Anthony Davis next to LeBron James and a 14-2 record with the possibility of going 15-2 in a couple of hours, I think they can forgive Hart considering they have little be jealous of in the NBA these days.

Frank Vogel on Anthony Davis: ‘There’s no one like him in the NBA’

Los Angeles Lakers head coach Frank Vogel continues to heap the praise on his star big man Anthony Davis.

Anthony Davis may be finding his shooting stroke from the outside, making one of the league’s elite two-way players even scarier for opponents. Over the last four games, Davis is shooting over 40% on 3-pointers to add to his solid passing and incredible defensive impact over the first month of the season.

The way Davis is playing is only validating what the Lakers already thought of him, as an equal to LeBron James rather than just a running mate. James has been excellent all season and the Lakers want to make sure he’s officiated fairly, but they also want to make sure people appreciate how special Davis is.

Frank Vogel told reporters after Saturday’s win in Memphis that there’s nobody else like Davis in the NBA, according to Silver Screen and Roll.

There is no one like him in the NBA. That’s how unique it is. Like I said, the amount of ways he impacts the game. Shooting threes … attacking the basket, two four-point plays tonight and elite defense all over the place. He’s something special.

Vogel is absolutely right that what Davis is doing is special. If Davis is able to maintain his current run, he would join Hakeem Olajuwon (1993-94) as the only player in NBA history to average over 20 points and three blocks per game while shooting over 35% from the 3-point line, according to Basketball-Reference.

Lakers continue on road trip with second visit to San Antonio

LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers have already won once this season in San Antonio and look to win their eight straight on Monday.

The Los Angeles Lakers are back on the floor Monday night as they play the penultimate game of their four-game road trip later this evening against the San Antonio Spurs at the AT&T Center. It’s the second meeting between the two teams this season while Monday is also the second and final visit to San Antonio for the Lakers this season.

The Lakers were in San Antonio during their last long win-streak, a 103-96 win when they were without Kyle Kuzma and Rajon Rondo but were led by a monstrous 14-point, 13-rebound performance off the bench from Dwight Howard.

The primary focus for the Lakers defense on Monday will be the same as it was in their Nov. 3 win at San Antonio: point guard Dejounte Murray. Murray nearly saved the Spurs in their last Lakers game by scoring 16 consecutive points for them in the 4th quarter, showing his talent even against an elite defensive squad is difficult to contain.

Although Murray managed to get loose, the Lakers did an excellent job against the Spurs star duo of LaMarcus Aldridge and DeMar DeRozan, holding the team to 22 points on seven of 24 shooting from the field.

The Lakers will need another solid performance on both ends to come through with the road win and push their current win-streak to eight games.

Kyle Kuzma intends to play, wear goggles Friday at Oklahoma City

The Los Angeles Lakers forward told reporters on Thursday that he wanted to return in Tuesday’s win over Oklahoma City.

Kyle Kuzma wants to ball and he won’t let a little eye abrasion stop him as he tries to channel Los Angeles Lakers legends of the past by making some memorable on-court moments while wearing some good old fashioned sports goggles.

Kuzma, who wanted to play in Tuesday’s win over the Thunder after leaving the game with blood coming from his right eye, told reporters who were in the building for Thursday’s Lakers practice that he would play while he worked out with some yellow-trimmed sports goggles specs. He also said that he wanted to go by the name “Big Game Kuz,” in honor of Lakers legend James Worthy, according to ESPN’s Dave McMenamin.

While I love the spirit from Kuzma to honor a Lakers legend who wore specs, you can’t call yourself “Big Game” anything until you play in an actual big NBA game. Maybe he could be something like “Kareem Abdul-Kuzma” if he brings out a skyhook while he rocks the goggles. But the “Big Game” moniker should be reserved for those who have big games. Kuzma will have a chance to earn that nickname with a rolling Lakers squad at the top of the West, but he hasn’t gotten there just yet.

 

Kyle Kuzma will play Friday against the Thunder

Kuzma suffered an eye abrasion when Darius Bazley hit him with an elbow in the second quarter of the Lakers 112-107 win on Tuesday night.

Kyle Kuzma took a nasty shot to the face from Thunder rookie Darius Bazley on Tuesday night.

The incident occurred in the second quarter of Oklahoma City’s 112-107 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers when Bazley was driving towards the basket with Kuzma guarding him.

Kuzma left the game with blood pouring from his right eye. He did return to the bench after halftime but did not come back into the game.

Per Yahoo! Sports, Lakers head coach, Larry Vogel, told reporters after the game that Kuzma suffered an eye abrasion and that he used his “better judgment” to keep Kuzma on the bench in the second half.

According to The Los Angeles Times, the Lakers said on Wednesday that Kuzma will play in Friday’s game in Oklahoma City despite the eye abrasion.

Kuzma is the Lakers’ third-leading scoring, averaging 13.1 points per game. He’s also pulling down 3.9 rebounds and .6 assists in 22.2 minutes per game.

Kyle Kuzma’s eye injury looked bad but he could have returned Tuesday

The Los Angeles Lakers won on Tuesday night despite losing Kyle Kuzma early on with a gross-looking eye injury against Oklahoma City.

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Although the Los Angeles Lakers got out of Staples Center with another home win Tuesday night, and again holding the NBA’s best record at 12-2, they didn’t get out unscathed. Kyle Kuzma’s left eye got caught by the finger of Oklahoma City’s Darius Bazley during a drive in the first half, causing blood to come from Kuzma’s eye and his eventual exit from the game.

Kuzma returned to the Lakers bench in his warm-ups where he cheered on his squad. But he did not reenter the game; he played only nine minutes on Tuesday. The decision for Kuzma not to reenter the game was made by coach Frank Vogel.

According to Silver Screen and Roll’s Harrison Faigen, Vogel said:

He was available. The medical team said if we really needed him we could put him back in. I used my better judgement. It didn’t look good, and I just felt like unless we absolutely needed him, let’s let the other guys handle the rest of the game.

Although the Kuzma injury looked gruesome on the court, it’s good to hear that it’s not too serious. Especially when you consider that Kuzma had already spent the last four months rehabbing from a stress reaction in his leg.

Now that the Lakers have a few days at home before they head out on their first four-game road trip of the season, Kuzma will presumably have time to let his eye abrasion heal before they kick off the trip against the same Thunder squad they played last night.