Kyle Kuzma Stats Tonight: How did the Bucks star fare against Atlanta Hawks? (Feb. 7)
Kyle Kuzma debuted for the Milwaukee Bucks on Friday. The Bucks sent former star Khris Middleton, AJ Johnson and cash considerations to the Milwaukee Bucks to acquire the versatile forward.
Kuzma came off the bench halfway through the first quarter. He finished the opening minutes with five points and two rebounds, but his new team trailed early 36-26.
The 2020 champ played even better in the second quarter. He added seven more points to help the Milwaukee Bucks to a commanding 47-19 domination in the period. Milwaukee turned a 10-point deficit in the first quarter into a 73-55 halftime advantage.
Kuzma and the Bucks struggled badly in the third quarter. The Hawks dominated the period 37-17 and recovered from their disastrous performance before halftime. Atlanta regained the lead 92-90 after three quarters. After scoring 12 first-half points, Kuzma couldn't add to his tally.
The Bucks played better in the fourth quarter, but "Kuz" remained ineffective. He went 0-for-3, including a 3-pointer late that would have cut Atlanta's lead to 114-113. The former Wizard could not score in the entire second half in the Bucks' 115-110 loss.
Kyle Kuzma struggles Milwaukee Bucks debut on Friday
The Milwaukee Bucks traded Khris Middleton for Kyle Kuzma to shore up their athleticism and scoring. In two games with the Washington Wizards this month, he averaged 26.5 points, 6.0 rebounds and 2.0 assists. Kuzma fell back to earth in the second half against the Atlanta Hawks.
His entry seemed seamless in the first half. He had 12 points and helped carry the team missing Giannis Antetokounmpo for the third straight game due to a calf injury. The 6-foot-9 forward couldn't replicate the same performance in the second half.
Kyle Kuzma attempted a 3-pointer in the third and missed. He also finished 0-for-3 in the fourth quarter. Kuzma's final shot was a 26-footer late in the game that went wide. He will be hoping to play better in his first game in front of Bucks fans on Sunday against the Philadelphia 76ers.