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Kyle Kuzma, Lakers
For the Lakers, one of many troublesome facets of the NBA’s shutdown due to the coronavirus in March was that the crew actually had hit its stride. Sure, there was the 2-point loss to the Nets on March 10 at Staples Heart in what has, to this point, been the ultimate sport of the season, however earlier than that, the Lakers had been on a run that stretched again to earlier than the All-Star break wherein they gained 11 of 12 video games.
The final two wins: Milwaukee on March 6 and the Clippers on March 8. If any two groups stand between the Lakers and a championship—assuming the NBA will get again into motion and finishes the yr within the coming weeks—it’s the Bucks and the Lakers’ cross-town rivals, the Clippers.
When teammates Jared Dudley and Kyle Kuzma talked about the very best second of the season, it was little shock that Kuzma picked that 1-2 punch of video games.
In an Instagram Reside chat, Kuzma mentioned, “Favourite second this yr, I believe beating Milwaukee after which beating the Clippers. That was the spotlight of the yr. It was enjoyable, superfun. Kinda marking our territory.”
“A lot hype,” Dudley chimed in. “Clippers beat us twice, we gave them the sport on Christmas, we had been up double-digits. Simply coming off the Milwaukee win, on the Clippers. … I simply thought, our physicality, I’m with the Clippers on that one additionally.”
“Beating Milwaukee after which beating the Clippers, again to again.”
Kyle Kuzma and Jared Dudley talk about the very best second of the season
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— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPointsApp) Might 6, 2020
Clippers Carried Swagger After Beating Lakers
Certainly, the Clippers had made a lot of getting overwhelmed the Lakers twice within the first two matchups of the groups this season. Within the season opener, the Clippers dominated the Lakers within the fourth quarter to win by 10 factors. On Christmas, the Clippers trailed by 12 at halftime earlier than coming again to safe the win.
Again on the All-Star break, Clippers guard Patrick Beverley informed me that the 2 wins gave his crew supremacy over the Lakers—even when the purple-and-gold had been the No. 1 seed within the West.
“They’re not No. 1 towards us,” Beverley mentioned. “We’re the one crew that’s beat them twice. And it’s no discredit to them. They’re having a hell of a yr. Gotta give them plenty of credit score, they’re enjoying good basketball. However we really feel like, it doesn’t matter what crew, Lakers, Houston, Portland, Denver, no matter. These groups have gotten to come back by us.”
LeBron James Was at His Greatest
The win over the Bucks was simply as spectacular. Within the first assembly between the groups, Milwaukee constructed up a 19-point lead and held off the Lakers on their very own residence ground. However in March, the Lakers obtained 67 factors from the 1-2 punch of LeBron James and Anthony Davis, pulling away for the win within the third quarter.
In each video games, James was the dominant characteristic, combining for 65 factors within the wins.
“His greatest weekend in a Lakers uniform I’m assuming,” coach Frank Vogel informed reporters on the time. “I wasn’t right here final yr however, in my thoughts, this was the very best two-game stretch. Actually simply dominated each video games and helped shut them out.”
The Lakers might have marked their territory with these wins, however whether or not that may carry right into a post-COVID-19 NBA, at any time when it will get underway, will one of many greatest options of a rebooted postseason.
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