It's been a roller coaster ride night in and night out since Kyle Kuzma joined the Milwaukee Bucks at the NBA Trade Deadline.
The main issue revolves around Kuzma's offense. Initially poised to be Milwaukee's third go-to scorer behind Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard, the forward hasn't lived up that expectation quite yet, struggling to put points on the board consistently and efficiently most nights, with Brook Lopez and Kevin Porter Jr. among the players to take on that third-scorer role instead.
Yet, in Milwaukee's final game of the regular season, Kuzma had a chance to get up as many shots as he desired, given that the Bucks were without basically all of their regulars. The forward didn't let fans down, pouring in 22 points on 8-of-10 shooting, including 5-of-7 from deep in just 12 minutes. It was the best he's looked in a Milwaukee Bucks uniform yet, and it comes at the perfect time.
Kyle Kuzma's performance will hopefully spark some momentum
Following the win over Detroit, the Milwaukee Bucks are now officially preparing to square up with the Indiana Pacers in the NBA Playoffs. With Damian Lillard's availability still up in the air, the Bucks have a scoring void to fill, and if this recent game potentially woke something up within Kuzma, it would give Milwaukee a significant shot in the arm in that department.
No one should expect Kuzma to pop off for 22 points in a single quarter, but it's the efficiency that the Bucks really need. He will get open looks, especially when playing with Antetokounmpo, and if he can knock down those jumpers, it will certainly help the cause against Indiana. They also need him to sink his shots at the rim, something he's had trouble with in a Milwaukee Bucks jersey.
While this game certainly stands out, Kuzma has actually been pretty efficient in April, knocking down 51.9 percent of his field goals, including 37.9 percent from deep. The forward had finally been finding his footing on offense, and he saved the best performance for last. Amid an efficient month, this type of performance could give him a jolt heading into the postseason, where the Bucks will need him.
If Kuzma can continue to thrive on defense while hitting his shots on offense more often, the trade to bring him to town could end up being a difference-maker for the Milwaukee Bucks on the big stage.
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