Los Angeles Lakers’ forward Kyle Kuzma was pretty straightforward during his post game interview after losing to the New Orleans Pelicans on Tuesday. Kuzma, who’s come off the bench this season, said that this current Laker squad is heavily constructed around superstars LeBron James and Anthony Davis (rightfully so) and this team must figure out how to adjust without two of their most important players.
Kyle Kuzma: "This team was constructed playing off LeBron and Anthony Davis.”
That of course resulted in a championship last season, and had LAL off to a strong start this year. Kuz said they have to try to adjust basically everything w/out the 2 stars.
— Mike Trudell (@LakersReporter) March 24, 2021
The defending champions are going through a rough time right now. The team never imagined being without two of their superstars entering this season but it seems both James and Davis will be out for weeks. The Lakers have lost three games in a row including Tuesday’s game to the Pelicans where they blown out by 17 points. LeBron James’ stats are obviously hard to replicate, but Kuzma clearly did his best to stuff the stat sheet. He stepped up in the second half and flirted with a triple double, finishing with 16 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists.
With James and Davis out, LA will have to rely on their key pieces to do more than what they were requested to do at the start of the season. Kuzma, in particular, will have the responsibility of carrying the offense especially with the Lakers’ top two scorers out. Aside from Kuzma, the Lakers must expect Montrezl Harell (who has been great for them all year), Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Dennis Schroder, Talen Horton-Tucker and Wesley Matthews to carry the offensive load.
It’s not going to get any easier for Los Angeles, who are expected to tumble down the Western Conference standings. Kuzma’s post game comments make a lot of sense, but there’s nothing the Lakers can do right now besides at least try to step up with their injured superstars on the sidelines.
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