The Staples Center crowd welcomed Kyle Kuzma back with the familiar cheer: “Kuuuuz!” fans shouted because the Lakers forward checked into a game for the primary time in fortnight.
Kuzma returned Sunday from a sprained ankle that kept him sidelined for the past five games, scoring 14 points with four rebounds and two assists within the Lakers’ 128-104 loss to the Denver Nuggets. Playing without an injured LeBron James, who sat out with a thoracic muscle strain, the team that talked of not losing two games during a row has now dropped three consecutive contests leading up to an enormous Christmas matchup with the Clippers on Wednesday.
Kuzma was gearing up for a possible breakout year after surviving a rash of offseason trades that jettisoned most of his former teammates out of L.A., but the third-year forward’s progression has been slowed by nagging injuries, including a stress reaction in his left foot that cost him the whole preseason. But after an extended break to get over the left ankle injury originally suffered against the Washington Wizards on Nov. 29, Kuzma said Sunday he was feeling as healthy as he has all year.
“Tonight, I felt like me,” Kuzma said.
Kuzma stayed loose during timeouts Sunday by jumping quickly back and forth over lines on the ground. While coach Frank Vogel said the defense lacked “juice,” Kuzma gave the team a take off the bench with two blocks and a steal within the half. He brought the gang to its feet when he stepped into an open three-pointer within the third quarter, but perhaps showing some signs of offensive rust, the shot didn’t go down.
“Our team as an entire didn’t have great energy throughout the night, but Kyle plays extremely hard,” Vogel said. “It’s one among his strengths, but overall, we weren’t ok to urge the W tonight.”
Kuzma was injured during the summer with Team USA while practicing for the FIBA World Cup and didn’t make his season debut until Nov. 1. Later that month, a blow to the face caused a scary eye contusion that forced him to wear protective goggles briefly. Then the left ankle sprain further slowed his development after he tried to play through it for five games before taking day off to recover fully.
“He’s not comfortable immediately, but it’s impossible for him to be comfortable,” Vogel said before the sport. “He’s a young player with an entire new cast of teammates and a replacement coaching staff, a replacement system. So with younger guys, you know, it takes a touch time sometimes, but he’s gonna be an enormous, huge factor for us this year.”
The Lakers, who finished their road swing with losses to Indiana and Milwaukee, could have used Kuzma during the five-game trip. The team shot 25.8% from three-point home in the ultimate three games against Atlanta, Indiana and Milwaukee and therefore the bench was outscored 34-4 within the 111-104 loss to the Bucks, who staked their claim to the title of league’s best.
The Lakers’ Christmas matchup with the Clippers was thought to be another showdown between league powers but both teams limp into the blockbuster game. The Clippers have lost two of their past three.
The Lakers have lost three during a row. Although the Lakers, who also lost the season opener to their in-town rival, have tried to downplay the importance of the sport, Sunday’s latest defeat appears to only increase the team’s urgency for an ideal holiday performance.
“It should be fun,” Kuzma said with a smirk.