If one word described Kyle Kuzma's time with the Milwaukee Bucks, it would be hard to find one better than inconsistent. At times, the forward has looked like the perfect fit for this team. At other times, it's hard to justify him being out there at all. That has unsurprisingly held true throughout a turbulent three-game stretch to open the new NBA season.
Kuzma has been all over the place early
In the season-opening loss to the Washington Wizards, his former team, Kuzma struggled mightily by pouring in just five points on 2-of-9 shooting while also tallying three fouls and turnovers each. There were some positives in there, like him finishing with three steals and six rebounds, but the good could not outweigh the bad in this one.
Yet, in the last two games, Kuzma has done a complete 180, looking far better than he did to kick off the festivities.
In the home opener against Chicago, Kuzma tallied 14 points, nine rebounds, and four assists while hitting six of his 12 shot attempts. He followed that up with another 14-point performance against a tough 76ers squad, also tallying 12 rebounds and three assists on 54.5 percent field goal shooting. Those numbers are certainly nothing to scoff at.
If the version of Kyle Kuzma that showed up for the last two games is here to stay, it would be a huge development for the Milwaukee Bucks. Yet, these stretches have come and gone from the moment he set foot in Milwaukee. The Bucks truly never know what they are going to get. The forward could come out and lay an egg in the team's next matchup. You just never know what you will get.
There is still always a sliver of hope that he can finally turn a corner after a stretch like this, though.
Bucks need a consistently good Kuzma
It's no secret that the Milwaukee Bucks' forward rotation is arguably the weakest point on the roster. Outside of Jaime Jaquez Jr.'s hot start, there hasn't been much to praise from the group. If Kuzma's recent play remains consistent, though, it will help minimize the concern stemming from this group and give the team a legitimate one-two punch at the three and four spots.
It all starts with seeing what he does in Milwaukee's matchup with Indiana, a team he has struggled against since joining the Bucks. If he comes out with another double-double on efficient splits, the Bucks will have something to cheer about. If he regresses and struggles as he did in the opener, though, it will be another frustrating example of his hit-or-miss play.
Stay tuned for more Milwaukee Bucks analysis.
Add us as a preferred source on Google