The Los Angeles Lakers are now down 3-0 to the Denver Nuggets. The LeBron-led Lakers lost last night 112-105 and are now likely to be headed home from the playoffs. The defending champion Nuggets are just too much to handle. Two-time MVP Nikola Jokic is a terrible matchup for the Lakers. Despite the Lakers two stars LeBron and Anthony Davis playing well, it's not enough. The depth and quality that the Nuggets bring to the court are phenomenal, and not many teams can cope with it.
The Lakers' supporting cast once again showed its deficiencies. D'Angelo Russel went 0-7 from the field and looked uninterested in the game while on the bench. LeBron is nearing the end of his playing career, and since winning the NBA title in the Bubble, the Lakers haven't had playoff success. Many attribute this to roster moves that, looking back, didn't make much sense. A player involved in one of those moves, Kyle Kuzma, has thrown shade at his former team after their devastating loss.
Kyle Kuzma Shades Lakers For Trading Him
Kyle Kuzma, who played with LeBron on the 2020 title-winning Lakers, shaded his former franchise. Kuzma tweeted, "Backkk dennn they didn't want mee," hours after the Lakers' backbreaking loss to the Denver Nuggets. Kuzma was shipped out of LA after poor playoff performances following the tile. Kuzma was a key piece on the Lakers and added positional versatility. Kuzma isn't the only Laker who was traded. The Chicago Bulls' Alex Caruso and Denver's Kentavious Caldwell-Pope were traded for Russel Westbrook. Caruso and Caldwell-Pope were perfect guards to play with LeBron and Anthony Davis, and many fans still can't believe the Lakers overhauled their roster after winning the title.
Kyle Kuzma hasn't been to the postseason since leaving the Lakers, but he is currently on the woeful Washington Wizards. The Lakers must find a way to improve their roster with quality players. D-lo will probably not return to the team, opting to be a free agent. LeBron only has so many years left, so if the Lakers want to overcome Denver next year, they need some serious help.
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