Lakers’ Kyle Kuzma targets Friday in Dallas for return to lineup
EL SEGUNDO — He’s a little bit less conditioned than he’d like to be, but it’s to be expected after two-and-a-half months out of the game.
Nevertheless, when Kyle Kuzma took the court on Thursday for his first live-contact practice with his Lakers teammates this season, they were able to recognize the hallmarks of his game. It has drummed up some excitement for his expected season debut on Friday against the Dallas Mavericks, the Lakers’ first true road game of the year.
“Obviously he’s been training and working out, but like I always tell you guys there’s no substitution for game fatigue and game stamina,” LeBron James said. “That will come, though. It’s great to have him back on the floor. We definitely missed him.”
Kuzma has made a big leap in his recovery in the last week, ramping up from four-on-four half-court work with coaches, to a South Bay Lakers practice on Wednesday, to a full team practice on Thursday. Assuming he feels fully recovered from his stress reaction in his foot following Friday’s shootaround in Dallas, he’ll play in the game.
Coach Frank Vogel said he’s expecting to limit Kuzma’s minutes to around 20. It’s possible that he could come off the bench. Adding an extra scorer at the forward position, where the Lakers (3-1) are particularly thin, could be a huge boost in the midst of a relatively soft portion of the schedule to start the season.
“It’s a challenge, but he’s got some familiarities with the guys who were here last year, and obviously, he’s a sponge,” Vogel said. “So as we’re implementing our system throughout training camp and whatnot, he’s on the sidelines, paying attention in film sessions, those sorts of things. There’ll be a little bit of a learning curve for him, but hopefully, it doesn’t take too long.”
Kuzma said his Wednesday session with the Lakers’ G League affiliate was the most running he’s done since the injury, which he suffered in August when he was playing with USA basketball. When he woke up Thursday without much soreness in his foot, he took it as a positive omen.
Kuzma has tried to maintain his conditioning through assorted activities that limit the strain on his feet: swimming, an underwater treadmill, an Alter-G treadmill and an upper body ergometer. In the meantime, he’s also done skill work with assistant Phil Handy, which he felt has helped improve his footwork and ball-handling.
“I’m going to bring it out if I play,” he said. “I feel good. Up and down, I feel like I’m myself, but the conditioning aspect – playing more than three, four or five possessions – trying to get up and down, that’s going to take a little bit of time. But I think once I get my legs and conditioning, people will see me.”
The addition of Kuzma, who averaged 18.7 points per game last season, is expected to take some of the scoring burden off of LeBron James and Anthony Davis. Vogel has had to work to stagger his two stars in the first four games to keep a scorer on the floor. Several players, including Kuzma, have also been excited about the prospect of a lineup with Davis playing center and Kuzma playing power foward alongside him and James.
Davis said he’s admired Kuzma’s work ethic during his recovery so far and is even more excited to start playing together.
“With his scoring ability, his ability to draw defenders’ eyes, he’s able to take pressure off of everyone,” Davis said. “That’s why we’re so excited to have him back. We can put Kuz on the floor and know he can go get a bucket for us and also be able to defend on the other end. It’s a good problem to have. We have a lot of guys who can score the basketball, create for themselves. When you have that, it takes a burden off everyone’s shoulders.”
In other injury news: Davis said his right shoulder, which was sore during Tuesday’s game against Memphis, was feeling better. The Lakers kept him out of the contact portion of practice on Thursday, but Vogel expected him to play Friday against the Mavericks.
Veteran point guard Rajon Rondo has been ruled out for Friday’s game, even though he’s traveling on the three-game trip. The Lakers have reduced his workload in the last week since an MRI confirmed a calf strain in his right leg. The team has described his recovery timetable as “day-to-day.”LAKERS GO SPOOKY, SPOOFY IN HALLOWEEN COSTUMES
While the team flew to Dallas on Thursday afternoon ahead of traditional trick-or-treating hours, many players celebrated in elaborate costumes at a party that James invited teammates to attend.
James, who famously goes all-out for Halloween, said he spent three-and-a-half hours getting in makeup and wardrobe for his Edward Scissorhands costume. The one regret he had about his choice was that having scissors for hands made it difficult to hold a drink during the festivities.
“I felt like my wife for a change with hair and makeup and all that stuff it takes for her to get ready,” he said of the lengthy preparation. “But yeah, it was a long process, but it was very fun.”
Some of the other costumes the Lakers donned: Joker (Anthony Davis, paying tribute to the Jared Leto “Suicide Squad” version), Beetlejuice (JaVale McGee), The Penguin (trainer Mike Mancias), rapper Boo Face (Kyle Kuzma), Dwight Schrute from “The Office” (Alex Caruso) and Rasputia from “Norbit” (Dwight Howard, which Kuzma called “elite”).
Kyle Kuzma talks about making his season debut tomorrow pic.twitter.com/rgWUDyr7mO
— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) October 31, 2019
— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) October 31, 2019
— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) October 31, 2019
Lakers in the Halloween spirit
pic.twitter.com/SSSML77IBS
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) October 31, 2019
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