The Wizards' season is really miserable, with a bottom record, heartbroken fans, headaches for coaches, and worries for owners. This team is like a worn-out car, no matter how it is repaired, there is always something wrong. However, in this broken car, there is also a shining diamond, and that is Kyle Kuzma. The forward star, with his performance, gave people a glimmer of hope for the Wizards. He's the team's leading scorer, the playmaker, the leader, he's everything to the team. Let's take a closer look at how he did it.
This season, the debate about who will be the scoring leader of the Wizards has not stopped. Some say it's Jordan Poole, the former Warriors rising star whose scoring prowess has been recognized across the league, averaging 20 points per game last season4 points.
And now, with Poole's slow start to the new season, Kuzma has used his own strength to sit firmly on the throne, and his ball usage rate is as high as 309%, which is also quite high in the NBA rankings. He began to enjoy being watched by his opponents, but his scoring did not suffer in any way. Currently, he is averaging a career-high 23 points per game5 points. What's even more commendable is that his scoring performance is quite consistent.
In just four of the 19 games he has played so far this season, Kuzma has scored less than 20 points, one of which was a big deficit against the Atlanta Hawks, which left him on the bench for most of the second half. On top of that, he has three games where he has scored more than 30 points, and two of those games have coincided with team victories, suggesting that Kuzma is not cutting for nothing.
In addition, it can also be seen from his shooting stats that he is gradually becoming an efficient scorer, not only maintaining a career-high shooting and free-throw shooting percentages of 47% and 82% respectively with increased usage, but also an increase in his three-point shooting percentage compared to last season, from 333% to 35%.
While the Wizards' record this season may not be great, it's certainly a joy for fans to have a scorer who is at the top of his career and delivers great performances every game.
Since entering the NBA, Kuzma has been deeply rooted in the hearts of the people as a "scoring first" forward. His scoring ability is impeccable, but his passing ability has been left to the bottom of his story. He doesn't like passing the ball very much, he prefers to solve problems on his own. He's been low in assists and his assist-to-turnover ratio has been poor. His passing choices are often not rational enough, his passing skills are often not precise enough, and his passing awareness is often not sharp enough. His passing, often just to get away from the defence and not to create chances. His passing, too, is often just for himself, not for his teammates.
However, this season he changed his style and he started creating more chances for his teammates, and he averaged 4 assists per gameSix times, a career-high for him, and his turnovers have dropped compared to the past two seasons. In particular, Kuzma's assists per game have soared to a staggering 8 in the last six games2 times. Among them, in the games against the Bucks and Hornets, he even delivered two double-double assists.
This season, Kuzma has been able to score not only on his own but also in assists for his teammates to score, and he is a true team player, he is the brain and commander of the team. Without him, the Wizards' offense would be like a watch without a battery, stagnant and lifeless. If he can continue this excellent organisational ability, he will be able to prove that manager Unseld's decision to see him as the heart of the team was a wise move.
The Wizards are now stretched thin defensively, conceding some of the most points per game in the league and having the lowest rebounding ability in the league. Part of the blame for this predicament is the lack of players up front, and Kuzma's personal defensive stats have hit a career-low low. He has 2With a height of 06 meters and an excellent reach, he should have good defensive instincts. But the reality is that his presence on the defensive end is almost nil. He averaged just 04 times, and the cap is only 06 times.
Of course, it's not uncommon for players who take on a lot of tasks on the offensive end to be slacking off on the defensive end. But the Wizards are currently in a critical phase of a rebuilding season, and the development of team culture and Xi is crucial. As a veteran and star player in the team, Kuzma's performance is undoubtedly a bellwether. We don't expect Kuzma to be able to do everything on both ends of the pitch, but if he can give his all in every game, it will certainly have a positive impact and inspire his team-mates.
So, can Kuzma break through on the defensive end?It depends on his own willingness and hard work, as well as the help and cooperation of his coach and teammates. He needs to be more proactive and aggressive on the defensive end, not passively waiting for the opponent's attack, but actively interfering and stopping the opponent's attack. He needs to have more flexibility and variety on the defensive end, not rigidly stick to his position, but flexibly adjust his position, and make appropriate switches and help according to the characteristics of the opponent and the team's tactics.
Looking back at Kuzma's season, we see the image of an outstanding attacking player. With his excellent on-court position and effective scoring ability, he is a fish in water in the modern NBA's style of play. In the offseason, he signed a four-year extension with the Wizards$0.2 billion lucrative contract that will remain in effect until 2027. Although the season has not progressed as expected, the more critical question is their next choice.
If the Wizards intend to build around Kuzma as the core over the next three years, it makes sense for them to keep him. Considering his contributions, his salary is relatively good value for money. Moreover, to be the main star of the team and have the opportunity to challenge for the All-Star honor, which is undoubtedly what he aspires to.
However, Kuzma's contract structure is peculiar, and his salary decreases from year to year. This contract structure offers a high degree of flexibility, especially after one year of contract execution. In the current NBA environment, teams make several large-scale trades each season. So, if other teams show interest in Kuzma, the Wizards will need to rethink how far their rebuilding plan goes.
All in all, Kuzma is a player with a strong desire to win, excellent skills and high intelligence, and he has shown amazing ability and consistency on the offensive end, as well as huge potential and space on the defensive end. Therefore, we should give Kuzma more trust and support, and believe that he can continue to grow and improve with the Wizards, and bring more surprises and happiness to the team and fans.
Sports Premiere Creation Challenge