The Los Angeles Lakers advanced to the Western Conference Finals on Saturday night in dominant fashion, and Kyle Kuzma said the team is locked in ahead of the next round.
Los Angeles lost the first game in the first round against the Portland Trail Blazers, but won each of the next four games to take the series. The Lakers' series against the Houston Rockets offered the exact same narrative: a loss in Game 1, followed by four straight wins.
Kuzma said the Lakers are always sticking to the mission, never getting too high or too low:
“You can’t rattle us,” Kuzma said, via Bill Oram of The Athletic. “Can’t rattle us. After the first game in Portland, they were really hype, getting after it. We stayed calm through the first game in this series. Houston coming in hype, we just didn’t let it faze us. Kept attacking, kept being who we are. Laker basketball.”
Kuzma has shown some strong mental fortitude of his own this season.
The former first-rounder has had to adapt to a bench role while also losing touches and shots to the likes of Anthony Davis. Nevertheless, Kuzma has given the Lakers a much-needed spark in the bubble.
Kuzma scored in double figures in three of the last four games of the series against the Rockets, shooting a combined 13-for-17 in Game 2 and Game 3 before scoring 17 points and shooting 3-for-6 from beyond the arc in Saturday's series clincher.
Ultimately, the majority of the burden will still fall on Davis and LeBron James. But the Lakers need Kuzma to continue with this level of production and confidence to win a title.
Follow Us
Subscribe