When the Milwaukee Bucks added Kyle Kuzma, they knew they weren't exactly trading for an efficient three-scorer.
They wanted him because of his versatility, defensive capabilities and athletic ability, all of which he's flexed during his short tenure with the Bucks. However, prior to Tuesday's game, he was also shooting a career low 40.6 percent. As he's aimed to get comfortable playing in a new environment, Kuzma has had trouble scoring efficiently, but he showed in the team's recent contest how good he can be when his shot is falling on top of doing everything else he does.
Kyle Kuzma shines in Milwaukee Bucks' close win over Hawks
In his most efficient game with the Bucks yet, it's no surprise that Kuzma thrived because he tried to play off of his teammates rather than try to be "the guy" who generates the offense himself. He put a majority of his points on the board by simply cutting to the basket and receiving a pass from a Buck with the vision and passing chops to find him.
He's had some trouble converting on layups early during his time in Milwaukee, and he did indeed miss a couple in this one, but for the most part, he went up confidently and converted. Finding his success down low, Kuzma only attempted two jumpers all night, both triples. After missing the first, Kuzma redeemed himself by burying a deep one late in the fourth as the clock expired.
In total, Kyle Kuzma finished with 17 points on 7-of-10 shooting, including 1-of-2 from downtown as the Milwaukee Bucks secured a 127-121 victory. All of that goes without mentioning that Kuzma also hauled in 10 rebounds and dished out two assists with one turnover and zero personal fouls. It was an incredibly clean game from Kuzma on all fronts.
If Kuzma can consistently put up an efficient stat line like this while also playing versatile defense and attacking the glass with this much ferocity, he might be the ultimate game-changer. The forward has already helped spark a major defensive shift, and efficiency like this could see him to do the same for their offense. A young two-way threat like this is the perfect complement to Milwaukee's stars.
He undoubtedly won't shoot 70 percent every single night, but if Kuzma can bump his efficiency up to somewhere between 45 to 50 percent, that would certainly help the Bucks.
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