Kyle Kuzma Appears to Take Veiled Shot at LeBron James’ Work Ethic

A potential controversy could be brewing after Los Angeles Lakers forward Kyle Kuzma appeared to endorse his trainer’s criticism of Kuzma’s teammate, LeBron James.

During Wednesday’s game between the Lakers and Los Angeles Clippers, Kawhi Leonard finished with 35 points, 12 rebounds and five assists in the Clippers’ 111-106 victory. That was in contrast to James narrowly missing a triple-double by scoring 23 points, dishing out 10 assists and grabbing nine rebounds.

The Clippers rallied from a 15-point deficit in the third quarter and from seven points with 6:39 left, sending the Lakers to their fourth consecutive defeat. James tried to send the game into overtime in the final 10 seconds, but his turnover helped the Clipper clinch the contest.

After the game, James’ health was called into question because of a nagging groin injury that he appeared to aggravate following a first-quarter collision with the Clippers’ Patrick Beverley.

Leonard’s arrival with the Clippers as a free agent over the offseason had raised the stakes of the rivalry between the two teams that share Staples Center. It also fueled the personal rivalry between Leonard and James, which both players have stoked in recent months.

In the two meetings between the two teams this season, the Clippers have won both contests. However, despite their losing streak, the Lakers still have the better record at 24-7, compared to the Clippers’ 23-10 mark.