The Milwaukee Bucks opened the new NBA season with a 133-120 victory over the Washington Wizards.
Giannis Antetokounmpo had 37 points and 14 rebounds, and new recruit Myles Turner nearly recorded a double-double with 11 assists and eight rebounds.
However, head coach Doc Rivers did not praise either player as phenomenal after the win.
Instead, Rivers reserved that credit for Kyle Kuzma, who had 12 points, four rebounds and three assists in 24 minutes off the bench.
“He was great. Kyle Kuzma was phenomenal tonight. His playmaking, getting to the basket, getting some layups, that was great. But I thought his roll to catch the pass, his dribbling, his passing was great,” Rivers said.
Although Kuzma is no longer a starter, he has proven his ability to effectively lead the Bucks’ second unit.
This bench production is especially important for Rivers, as Milwaukee needs collective contributions to properly support Giannis.
“I actually thought the second group got out of that stretch, but then Washington ran away. They should have come right back,” Rivers explained.
Kuzma was once considered a big prospect, but during his time with the Wizards he proved he could consistently put up 20+ points.
The Bucks don’t have a clear second star behind Giannis, so Kuzma will need to prove he can deliver a phenomenal performance night after night all season.
His bench scoring and playmaking could provide the secondary offensive production that Milwaukee desperately needs to remain competitive in the Eastern Conference.
If Kuzma can consistently produce something close to his season-opening performance, the Bucks could find the reliable scoring depth they haven’t had in recent seasons while building a championship-caliber roster around Antetokounmpo.