Lakers vs Golden State Warriors, Game #35, 2/28, 7:00 PM PT
Posted: Sun Feb 28, 2021 8:56 pm
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bb22 wrote:Kuz still looks very uncomfortable out there with no evident role.
Beethoven wrote:Nice rare win.
That block by Jones reminiscent of when we had Dwight.
Always win when the other team is missing a key player or big. No nurkic. No draymond.
Can we ever beat a good team at full strength?
Beethoven wrote:Nice rare win.
That block by Jones reminiscent of when we had Dwight.
Always win when the other team is missing a key player or big. No nurkic. No draymond.
Can we ever beat a good team at full strength?
kblo247 wrote:bb22 wrote:Kuz still looks very uncomfortable out there with no evident role.
His evident role is do whatever the team lacks. They want scoring he gets you double digits. You want rebounds he gets you that at a rate better than anyone not named Bron. You want defense well he is in the 90th percentile as an iso defender this season. He’s literally a guy you put out there and he just produces what the holes are that night.
tamaraw08 wrote:kblo247 wrote:bb22 wrote:Kuz still looks very uncomfortable out there with no evident role.
His evident role is do whatever the team lacks. They want scoring he gets you double digits. You want rebounds he gets you that at a rate better than anyone not named Bron. You want defense well he is in the 90th percentile as an iso defender this season. He’s literally a guy you put out there and he just produces what the holes are that night.
I agree. Kuzma has been giving that great energy, grabbing offensive rebs for extra possessions, chasing and blocking shots, making the right play as in not forcing shots, passing to the open shooter etc. Some fans here just look at the box score and say, oh, he didn't score much so I think he's lost again. Having said that, I just wish he can drive and penetrate more when the lanes are open, his runners and running hooks are pretty good IMO.
kblo247 wrote:tamaraw08 wrote:kblo247 wrote:His evident role is do whatever the team lacks. They want scoring he gets you double digits. You want rebounds he gets you that at a rate better than anyone not named Bron. You want defense well he is in the 90th percentile as an iso defender this season. He’s literally a guy you put out there and he just produces what the holes are that night.
I agree. Kuzma has been giving that great energy, grabbing offensive rebs for extra possessions, chasing and blocking shots, making the right play as in not forcing shots, passing to the open shooter etc. Some fans here just look at the box score and say, oh, he didn't score much so I think he's lost again. Having said that, I just wish he can drive and penetrate more when the lanes are open, his runners and running hooks are pretty good IMO.
I really do think people here wouldn’t like Rick Fox if he played in modern times. That’s essentially the closest Laker comparison. Fox was a 17 point guy, a starter. He lost the starting role and struggled but he earned his time back. He became a guy who did whatever Kobe and Shaq needed to win on a given night. People were like but Rice us better (Ingram) yet ignore that guy never would fully click with the two big dogs because he lacked intangibles and wasn’t willing to sacrifice (never played with anyone as talented as Zion my ass). Kuz got the money, has the fame, likes his situation, and just is a winning player now
tamaraw08 wrote:kblo247 wrote:tamaraw08 wrote:
I agree. Kuzma has been giving that great energy, grabbing offensive rebs for extra possessions, chasing and blocking shots, making the right play as in not forcing shots, passing to the open shooter etc. Some fans here just look at the box score and say, oh, he didn't score much so I think he's lost again. Having said that, I just wish he can drive and penetrate more when the lanes are open, his runners and running hooks are pretty good IMO.
I really do think people here wouldn’t like Rick Fox if he played in modern times. That’s essentially the closest Laker comparison. Fox was a 17 point guy, a starter. He lost the starting role and struggled but he earned his time back. He became a guy who did whatever Kobe and Shaq needed to win on a given night. People were like but Rice us better (Ingram) yet ignore that guy never would fully click with the two big dogs because he lacked intangibles and wasn’t willing to sacrifice (never played with anyone as talented as Zion my ass). Kuz got the money, has the fame, likes his situation, and just is a winning player now
I would be lying if I say I fully appreciated Fox's value esp when he replaced Rice as a starter but like many fans here, I used to just focus on points scored/game. He is more physical than Kuzma but I'm not sure if he would be as good right now esp with how refs now are protecting shooters but I digress.
But you mentioned the "2 big Dog" system which worked and still works with most great teams. From Phil's Bulls and Lakers. Riley with Bron and Wade etc. Kareem was aging when Worthy became a great scorer so did Duncan with Manu. We saw how Bosh then Love struggled as the supposedly the 3rd scorer... Schroder seems to be ok but AD has taken less shots for that to happened...
kblo247 wrote:tamaraw08 wrote:kblo247 wrote:His evident role is do whatever the team lacks. They want scoring he gets you double digits. You want rebounds he gets you that at a rate better than anyone not named Bron. You want defense well he is in the 90th percentile as an iso defender this season. He’s literally a guy you put out there and he just produces what the holes are that night.
I agree. Kuzma has been giving that great energy, grabbing offensive rebs for extra possessions, chasing and blocking shots, making the right play as in not forcing shots, passing to the open shooter etc. Some fans here just look at the box score and say, oh, he didn't score much so I think he's lost again. Having said that, I just wish he can drive and penetrate more when the lanes are open, his runners and running hooks are pretty good IMO.
I really do think people here wouldn’t like Rick Fox if he played in modern times. That’s essentially the closest Laker comparison. Fox was a 17 point guy, a starter. He lost the starting role and struggled but he earned his time back. He became a guy who did whatever Kobe and Shaq needed to win on a given night. People were like but Rice us better (Ingram) yet ignore that guy never would fully click with the two big dogs because he lacked intangibles and wasn’t willing to sacrifice (never played with anyone as talented as Zion my ass). Kuz got the money, has the fame, likes his situation, and just is a winning player now
Kilroy wrote:kblo247 wrote:tamaraw08 wrote:
I agree. Kuzma has been giving that great energy, grabbing offensive rebs for extra possessions, chasing and blocking shots, making the right play as in not forcing shots, passing to the open shooter etc. Some fans here just look at the box score and say, oh, he didn't score much so I think he's lost again. Having said that, I just wish he can drive and penetrate more when the lanes are open, his runners and running hooks are pretty good IMO.
I really do think people here wouldn’t like Rick Fox if he played in modern times. That’s essentially the closest Laker comparison. Fox was a 17 point guy, a starter. He lost the starting role and struggled but he earned his time back. He became a guy who did whatever Kobe and Shaq needed to win on a given night. People were like but Rice us better (Ingram) yet ignore that guy never would fully click with the two big dogs because he lacked intangibles and wasn’t willing to sacrifice (never played with anyone as talented as Zion my ass). Kuz got the money, has the fame, likes his situation, and just is a winning player now
Oh, Rick Fox was a Billionaire's Kuzma though... He was a fundamentally solid, elite defender, as well as a consistent scoring threat... In fact, for a lot of us, he's everything we wish Kuzma could be, and are frustrated because he just can't seem to string a group of good games together...
Kuzma isn't consistent... He's all over the place with his contributions, to the point, you can't as a fan, count on him... That's basically the direct opposite of Rick Fox... Fox could come in in just about any situation and give you exactly what he was supposed to, and was a killer in the playoffs.
I get the similarities, but I think comparing Kuz to Fox gives Kuz a hell of a lot of credit he hasn't earned yet.