One major thing has stood out for the Lakers thus far: the lack of scoring of the bench.
In the Opening Night matchup, the LA Clippers bench outscored the Lakers bench 60 to 19. This quickly reminded Lakers fan of one guy: Kyle Kuzma, who was out with a foot injury.
So, how important will Kyle Kuzma be to this Laker team?
Kuzma’s role will be the key to the 2019-20 LA Lakers. He can solve many problems the team showed in the first game. First of all, he can be the third guy behind LeBron and Davis.
Last season he averaged 18.7 PPG, show he is capable of scoring the basket when needed. So, when do the Lakers need Kuzma’s points? Coming from the bench and in late-game situations, both of which were liabilities on Tuesday’s loss.
Kuzma can have a Lou Williams type role for the Lakers. He can come off the bench and lead them offensively. That would give the Lakers some resting minutes for James and Davis without the stress of watching their lead vanish.
Kuzma can fill this role of finishing the game in a small lineup that features Anthony Davis as the center. This will provide some points for the team at a crucial time. And just like that, the Lakers will see many of their problems solved based on Kyle Kuzma’s role.
Featured Image: SkySports
