The Wizards defeated the Hawks 122-111 behind a true team effort, advancing to 4-1 on the year. It’s the franchise’s best start to the season since the 2014-15 campaign, though the team isn’t phased by the somewhat surprising early-season success.
“It’s a good start, but in all reality it doesn’t mean anything. You can start off 4-1, 5-1 and you see teams all the time start out hot and then they just fall to the ground,” Kyle Kuzma told FortyEightMinutes and other media after the win.
Washington brought in many new parts this offseason, including Kuzma, and there was plenty of talk of a potential adjustment period for the club after an 0-4 preseason. That has not been the case.
Spencer Dinwiddie has been able to take some of the scoring load off of Bradley Beal. Montrezl Harrell has thrived as an offensive force who needs no plays called for him and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Aaron Holiday have each stepped up when needed as well.
What is Kyle Kuzma’s Ceiling?
Kuzma quietly expanding his game is rather intriguing. He was +9 during his 40 minutes in the win over the Hawks, playing the five at times due to the injury to Daniel Gafford.
Kuzma’s rebounding was something we touched on in our Fantasy Notes series on Tuesday. He’s averaging a career-high 11.0 rebounds per game through five contests, showcasing his ability in the paint. The former Laker spent much of his first four years in the league playing the three and four alongside Anthony Davis and Julius Randle, so perhaps he simply didn’t have the opportunity to show off this part of his game.
With Gafford out and Thomas Bryant still weeks (at least) away from returning, Kuzma will get additional opportunities to shine in a small-ball five role, something that could set him apart as he enters the next stage of his career.
Read More
Carmelo Anthony is now 9th on the NBA’s all-time scoring list
