The Los Angeles Lakers have had some major struggles offensively so far this season. Very few players have been able to consistently get buckets for the Lakers, but one who has stood out so far is rookie Kyle Kuzma.
Kuzma already looks to be one of the steals of this draft class. He is currently the team’s third leading scorer at 13.7 points per game while shooting 50.7 percent from the field.
What Kuzma hasn’t had to deal with is any serious injuries and the Lakers hope this minor one doesn’t become major. According to Lakers Nation reporter Serena Winters, Kuzma was limited in practice with a hip contusion, but he seems likely to be available for Tuesday’s game against the Pistons:
Limited practice for Kyle Kuzma today (left hip contusion), but Lakers do not sound concerned at all about availability for game tomorrow
— Serena Winters (@SerenaWinters) October 30, 2017
This is good news for the Lakers as they will need all of their weapons available to come out on top against the Pistons. Detroit has the best record in the Eastern Conference and is coming off back-to-back road wins against the Golden State Warriors and Los Angeles Clippers.
If the Lakers plan on getting their offense into gear, Kuzma will likely play a big role thanks to his versatility and shooting. Even though his three-point percentage has fallen from his Summer League and preseason numbers, he remains one of the team’s best weapons, and his confidence seemingly makes him unfazed by any crunch-time moments.
Hip contusions can be tricky to deal with, especially for someone like Kuzma who spends time guarding post players as well, which could put a lot of pressure on that hip. Nonetheless it looks as if this is no big deal and he’ll be able to continue his excellent start to the season.