What happened to Kuz

[yinoma2001]

I think the fact he is routinely toasted on defense is affecting his offense, like he's trying to make up for his horrific defense too much on the offensive end.

If he would restore balance by playing better defense, I think he wouldn't rush so much offensively. Right now he's trying to force too many things.
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From 2-10 to the Western Conference Finals

[32]

Good write up by DB on Kuz from last night's game. He has definitely had some challenges this year.

[StoicChalice392]

his defensive footwork is horrible. It's amazing how he doesn't trip over himself

[Fourplay]

LeBron has a history of making players better. Heck, last year, he earned Kuzma a shoe contract. Kuzma is a player that has to play with moxy. He's not effective as a system guy nor would we want him to be. He does not do well passively. I'm slamming my remote looking at some of his turnovers and non-box outs. His teammates have lost some confidence too--he was wide open on several plays and they did not pass him the ball. 40% on three pointers is not asking for a lot if there is NO defense. He is wide open. On the defensive end, he is playing like he is playing against college players. These guys want to take your head--all of them. Take the challenge. Take a foul to send a message. Challenge your opponents dribble always. Kuzma, if you are reading this. I believe in you. You believe in you. I know there is an ankle injury/eye injury but you should honestly be lighting some of these dudes up. Listen to MC Eiht like LeBron before the game and get in the mode to dominate. "You could nail me to the..."

[troy]

[Ziggy]

Yeah I was relieved to see the hair gone. Funny because just a couple days ago I was watching a game from last season that I have saved on my Tivo and was thinking Kuz needs to go back to that hair. People don't want to see you going Hollywood when you're playing like crap. Prepare for battle as Troy said.

Defensively, I know I've said Kuz has physical limitations, but the disheartening thing for me is that he lacks technique and effort. Fundamentals, like boxing out or knowing when to help, can be learned. But he hasn't shown much growth there. And when he does it's inconsistent. He's surrounded by guys with defensive reputations so hopefully he can pick up on it through osmosis.

[ringfinger]

[SuperboyReformed]

there's always going to be someone going through a bad streak, its not a big deal, and nothing to worry about. remember kcp? now he's doing well, and green and kuz are doing bad. when kcp was bad, green was good. etc etc.

you guys realize if all these guys do as you expect, we'd score 200 a game and everyone is hitting 45% threes. its crazy and impossible.

lebron is the only one who can control his stats and make adjustments individually that are significant. everyone else is basically in reaction mode unless he's on the bench, and then they have a few minutes to do something. so, honestly, nothing to worry about at all. it's always going to be someone.

all we need out of kcp, green, rondo, bradley, ac4, troy, is for one or two of them to get hot and its a blowout. today rondo was on = blowout.

[SuperboyReformed]

[Fourplay]

Kudos to Kuzma for stepping up and playing some defense. The three blocks were Outstanding! I loved that more than anything else that happened in the game against Utah. What happened to Kuz? He's working his butt off working himself back.

[CRoost]

[statyin]

He is playing in a system that does not need the third scoring guy. The offense is mainly coming from LBJ and AD, and the rest is contributed by the team as team offense. If you look at the scoring table, most of the time we see LBJ and AD in double figures and the rest are pretty much evenly distributed, with some occasional burst from KCP, Green or Kuz.

IMO, he is kind of a young, poor man version of Carmelo Anthony. He needs the ball in his hands and thrives in isolation. In this regard, we are not using him where he is good at.

[drae]

[hype]

[ringfinger]

There was a play near the end of the game, Kuz set a pick and then quickly cut. I think it was Rondo who dished the rock to him and he made an easy layup.

Those are the kind of plays we need to run for Kuz. That and him popping up at the 3pt line off a cut or something.

Now when Lebron/Ad in the game we probably aren’t running that. But point being, we ran a lot of those types of actions for him last year and if we want to get him going, that’s probably what we need to do.

[SGV-Laker fan]

Kuz does not have a go-to move. he gets his points on broken plays and second chance opportunities more often than from an offensive set. and he's not a good enough of a shooter to keep defender honest when he gets into his iso mode late in the clock. his game reminds me of Cedric Ceballos', both can get 15-20 points any given game, but you rarely remember how they got them.

[ringfinger]

[wolfpaclaker]

Struggling on O, but really good defensive game from Kuz.
Even last game, had some nice contests on help D and then good man D on Millsap in isolations in the 4th.

In the Utah game, Kuz was our best DFG% 3-11 (27.3%) Utah players shot on him, which is excellent.

[lar9149]

[SGV-Laker fan]

[troy]

[ringfinger]

[Pullin' 3's]

[anth2000]

Dude Kuz cut his hair. Looks so much better last night than those stupid clown hairstyles of recent.

[ringfinger]