Los Angeles Lakers forward Kyle Kuzma’s level of concern following the team’s Tuesday night playoff loss wasn’t terribly high, an approach that could conceivably put the Lakers’ championship hopes in peril.
The Lakers dropped a 100-93 decision to the Portland Trail Blazers in their opening playoff game within the bubble in Orlando, Fla. Despite the defeat, Kuzma appeared undisturbed on Wednesday when asked how he was handling the situation.
“I slept good last night,” said Kuzma. “It’s just basketball, at the end of the day. Obviously it’s playoffs, it’s high pressure, but this is basketball.”
In his third NBA season, Kuzma scored 14 points and grabbed eight rebounds in his first career playoff game.
Kuzma also offered a succinct solution to the rough shooting night the Lakers endured against the Blazers, when they connected on just 34-of-97 (35.1 percent) from the field and a brutal 5-of-32 (15.63 percent) from beyond the arc.
“It’s just plain and simple, s—, we’ve gotta hit shots,” Kuzma said.
The best-of-seven series continues on Thursday, with the Lakers needing a win to avoid having to come back from a 2-0 deficit in the opening round. A victory is likely to alleviate some concern on the part of Lakers fans, with players obviously focusing on the long-term goal of competing for an NBA championship.
