The Dallas Mavericks fell to their first consecutive loss of the season when they traveled to Washington, DC, to face the Wizards, who were missing stars like Bradley Beal and former Maverick Kristaps Porzingis. After a shock loss to the Orlando Magic, where Luka looked lackluster, many expected this to be a bounce-back game for Dallas.
Instead, Kyle Kuzma decided to show that there is no such thing as a sure win in the NBA. As the primary offensive option, Kuzma scored 36 points and led an all-around Wizards effort to shut down Luka Doncic and ensure the Mavericks don’t leave with a win. After the game, Kuzma said he has told the coaching staff to feature him as the primary offensive option before and that this game sets a great example of what he can do.
PSA: Kyle Kuzma wants the rock.
“Look what happened.”
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— The Athletic NBA (@TheAthleticNBA) November 11, 2022
“I’ve been telling the coaching staff all year to run the offense through me. This was the game to do it. Look what happens.”
Kuzma is averaging 17.2 points and 7.4 rebounds this season. This efficiency has been really solid, begging the question, do the Wizards need to highlight him more?
Will Kyle Kuzma Be A Long-Term Fit In Washington?
Kuzma was a sensational piece that the Wizards got when the Los Angeles Lakers made the ill-fated trade to acquire Russell Westbrook. If his time on the Wizards ends up being cut short, it doesn’t look to be because of any fault on his part. He plays with effort and has been bringing in results for the team.
The Wizards are a weirdly built roster, with young players on the squad due to the lottery pick that the Wizards get almost every year. In addition, they have veterans like Kuzma, Monet Morris, Kristaps Porzingis, and Bradley Beal.
They aren’t good enough to contend, but the team refuses to tank, leaving them in the weird middle ground of the East where they may get a playoff spot, but nobody expects them to do anything. If that’s the case for a team that’s tied a lot of their salary cap up in an aging Bradley Beal, players like Kuzma may be better off elsewhere.
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