It had been a while since Kyle Kuzma played in a playoff game, his last being in 2021 with the Lakers. Unfortunately for him and the Bucks, his return to the playoffs in Game 1 against the Indiana Pacers was one to forget, as Milwaukee fell 117-98.
In over 21 minutes of play, Kuzma`s stat line was remarkably empty beyond missed shots and fouls. He finished with zero points, rebounds, assists, steals, and blocks, along with two fouls, shooting 0-for-5 from the field and 0-for-2 from the free-throw line.
Since steals and blocks became official stats in the 1973-74 season, Kuzma is only the sixth player in NBA history to play at least 20 minutes and record zeros across the board in points, rebounds, assists, steals, and blocks. He joins a very undesirable list of players.
Bucks coach Doc Rivers defended Kuzma, who has become an easy target for jokes online.
“It`s tough to score when you`re not getting the ball,” Rivers commented. “Kyle only got two shots in the first half, both late in the shot clock. Kuzma is a capable player, and we need to involve him more and keep him engaged.”
While Rivers suggested Kuzma wasn`t involved offensively, the numbers show Kuzma actually had three shot attempts in the first half, and only one of his five total attempts came with less than five seconds on the clock. Regardless, offensive involvement doesn`t explain his lack of any contribution in other areas like rebounding or defense.
More broadly, Kuzma`s poor showing highlights a larger issue for the Bucks: the inconsistency of their supporting players around Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Antetokounmpo was dominant with 36 points on 14-of-23 shooting, but the rest of the Bucks combined for just 62 points on 21-of-61 (34.4%) shooting. Two starters, Kuzma and Taurean Prince, scored zero points, and only AJ Green besides Antetokounmpo reached double figures with more than 15 points.
“Our offense was terrible,” Rivers stated. “It hurt our defense just as much. We didn`t play our usual offensive game… Scoring 98 points won`t win games against them. Fifteen assists and ten turnovers won`t cut it either. We need to get back to our spacing, attacking the basket, and moving the ball.”
Even with Damian Lillard sidelined since March 18 with a blood clot, the Bucks had been a strong offensive team recently, relying on Antetokounmpo`s brilliance, 3-point shooting, and contributions from the supporting cast.
However, questions lingered about whether players like Kuzma, Prince, Ryan Rollins, Kevin Porter Jr., and Green could maintain that level of play in the playoffs. Game 1 suggests the answer is no, although the Bucks are unlikely to shoot as poorly from three-point range (9-of-37) throughout the series.
The positive news for Milwaukee is that Lillard is cleared to resume basketball activities and is expected to return in Game 2 or 3, according to reports.
Lillard is known for elevating his game in the playoffs and would provide another scoring threat for the Pacers to worry about. His ability to drive and create opportunities for himself and teammates would also force the Pacers` defense to adjust compared to focusing primarily on Antetokounmpo.
Despite Lillard`s expected return, questions remain about his effectiveness after a month-long absence due to a serious health issue. While the Bucks will undoubtedly be better with him, the extent of his impact is uncertain.
Even with Lillard back, the Bucks need more from Kuzma and the rest of the supporting cast. Zero contributions won`t be enough.
Jasper Hawthorne