Los Angeles Lakers: 4 Lessons from loss to Utah Jazz
By Ronald Agers
Kyle Kuzma learned what it is like to be at the top of the scouting report
The one thing young NBA players have to learn is how to deal with the attention of playing after a historical game. Kyle Kuzma has his chance now.
Kyle Kuzma set a franchise record against Detroit as the only player in history to score 40 points or more in less than 30 minutes. Now if you think about the Icons and legends that has come through this franchise, the feat is celebrated.
After his exploits was mentioned all over the NBA sports world, he shot up to the top of the Utah Jazz scouting report. The Jazz had a plan for Kuzma and boy it worked.
After lighting up the Detroit Pistons up for 41 points in three quarters, he came back down to Earth with a thud. Kuzma missed his first eight shots in the first half of the game and finished with only one point. Overall, he missed his first ten shots and it didn’t get much better as he finished the game shooting a nightmarish 4-for-18 for only 11 points. He missed all of his five 3-point shots and was not a difference maker.
That’s the problem.
There is no problem with a player shooting poorly. The NBA is a make or miss league. The Lakers need this guy to shoot. But sometimes there are night when the shots are not going to fall. Kuzma is going to have to find other ways to be effective besides scoring.
Watch this play here…
https://twitter.com/Lakers/status/1083930342979919872
He has the ball on the right wing. Notice how every Jazz player has his eyes on him. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope takes advantage of that and slides to the corner. Kuz hits him with the pass and KCP knocks down the jumper to beat the shot clock. When the shot is not falling, he needs to adjust and make plays for his teammates.
Young players fall into the trap of thinking scoring is the only way to impact a game. It is not. There are so many other ways of helping your team. In my last post game I mentioned that there was rumblings about Kuzma not having any assists. When you are as hot as he was in that game, it can go unnoticed to many at times.
How about the defensive end?
If Kuzma wants to really prove that he wants the second spot on the hierarchy of the roster behind LeBron James, he needs to take the challenge of stopping the best player on the opposing team. Donovan Mitchell unloaded on the Lakers for 33 points on a very efficient 24 shots which included a JaVale McGee facial. Here’s the time where Kuzma has to take it personal and make a statement in the game and switch to Mitchell. He guarded him at times but the train had left the station by then. It was too late
Post game reports over the season has been critical at times for LeBron James not stepping to the forefront in times when the Lakers are struggling (…and it will continue!) because he’s the supposed best player and it’s his responsibility.
If Kyle Kuzma wants the second spot, he needs to understand what those responsibilities are and be willing to sacrifice. If the Lakers make the playoffs, this is what he will face in a series.
This is a great teaching experience for Kuz…