Lakers: The effort to understand the toxicity surrounding Kyle Kuzma

LAKE BUENA VISTA, FLORIDA - OCTOBER 09: Kyle Kuzma #0 of the Los Angeles Lakers reacts during the second quarter against the Miami Heat in Game Five of the 2020 NBA Finals at AdventHealth Arena at the ESPN Wide World Of Sports Complex on October 9, 2020 in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Sam Greenwood/Getty Images)
LAKE BUENA VISTA, FLORIDA - OCTOBER 09: Kyle Kuzma #0 of the Los Angeles Lakers reacts during the second quarter against the Miami Heat in Game Five of the 2020 NBA Finals at AdventHealth Arena at the ESPN Wide World Of Sports Complex on October 9, 2020 in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Sam Greenwood/Getty Images)
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Kyle Kuzma
(Photo by Kelly Defina/Getty Images)

Kyle Kuzma suffered a hairline fracture playing for the FIBA World Cup team! 

No one ever mentions that Kuzma took part in Team USA’s tryouts leading up to the FIBA World Cup last summer. Kuzma had played well and went from a possible last-minute add to the tryout list to a lock for a roster spot when World Cup play began.

Kuzma suffered a hairline fracture ankle injury that not only kept him off the team but out of training camp, preseason and several early games last season. Then when he started to gain some kind of rhythm on his return, another aggravating injury sidelined him again.

Despite these impressive performances…

  • He scored 21 points on the road against the Chicago Bulls soon after his ankle issues.
  • Scoring 25 points against the Los Angeles Clippers on Christmas Day.
  • Dropping 36 on the road in Oklahoma City against the Thunder without LeBron and AD. 
  • 25 points against the Denver Nuggets in the bubble. Plus he hit the game-winner.
  • Plus there was steady improvement on his defense.

The problem is, most NBA fans and pundits won’t let this game go. The night he scored 41 points in three quarters.

Plus he is being put in an unfair position of trying to move down the offensive food change adjusting his game while not being fully healthy without the benefit of a training camp to find the groove with so many changes to the roster.

Plus if he can survive his trainer bad-mouthing LeBron James in comparison to Kawhi Leonard…

He can survive most anything.

Lake Show life broke down the difficulties that Kevin Love and Chris Bosh went through in the past. Let’s talk about modern times. His game was compared to a player in Boston, but if you compare his production to his teammate, you might see things clearer. Read on to discuss a couple of Celtics!