Kyle Kuzma has looked rejuvenated coming off the bench this season, but the numbers say the team is at its best when he's with the other starters. The five-man combination of Ryan Rollins, AJ Green, Kyle Kuzma, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Myles Turner boasts a net rating of 52.9, the best on the team among lineups to clock at least 10 minutes. This group can cause some damage.
Bucks have a lethal lineup combination in their back pocket
Part of why this lineup has shown early potential is that Kyle Kuzma has effectively embraced his new role. Last year, when he was with the starters full-time, Kuzma played like he was still in Washington, thinking he had the green light to take any shot he desired. Given that it resulted in a benching in the NBA Playoffs, it was clear that something needed to change.
So far, that has entailed bringing Kuzma off the bench and hammering home how much he needs to play complementary basketball. Instead of constantly jacking up pull-up jumpers and reckless drives, Kuzma is doing more cutting and shooting fewer threes. His numbers might not be as gaudy as they have been in years past, but he fits in much better.
Kuzma has particularly developed chemistry with Ryan Rollins, who is also thriving in a new role with the Milwaukee Bucks. On the year, Kuzma is shooting 8-of-13 (61.5 percent) off passes from the new starting point guard. As Rollins grows as a passer, having a go-to complementary piece like Kuzma is only fueling his development and giving him more confidence.
Even amid last season's shortcomings, Kuzma was good on defense last year, but he's taken it up a notch this year. That has particularly helped this unit. Gary Trent Jr. is playing out of position at small forward, oftentimes leaving him undersized against certain matchups. Kuzma, who has four inches of height on Trent, is better equipped to take on some of these bigger opponents.
There's plenty to like about this group. Not only is it the best on the team in terms of net rating, but it also ranks eighth league-wide among lineups to log 14 minutes. Despite this, Doc Rivers shouldn't be rushing to make a starting five change. Kuzma's bench role suits him perfectly. He can play with the starters when needed, but it cannot be full-time. The Bucks can't risk throwing him off his rhythm.
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