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After the Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Sacramento Kings on Sunday, Lakers small forward Kyle Kuzma said the team is more than just one player, implying that they can win games without superstar swingman LeBron James.
James is currently out with a groin injury suffered on Christmas Day versus the Golden State Warriors, and the Lakers don't know when the four-time league MVP will return to the lineup. LA is also playing without veteran point guard Rajon Rondo, who underwent surgery on his right hand again.
Kyle Kuzma, who scored 18 points against the Kings, says the young core on the club has to use this opportunity with LeBron and Rondo out to prove to everyone they can play at a high level:
“Just that we can do more as a young core and as a team,” Kuzma said when asked what he has learned during this short stretch without James and Rondo, via Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN. “We are not just one player, we just got to eliminate little mistakes and we could have won all three games [without them].
“For us, it is just continue to keep getting better and better and when those guys get back, hit the ground running.”
The Lakers are 21-16 on the season, good for sixth place in the Western Conference standings. Sunday's win over the Kings was the team's first win of the season without James.
