LOS ANGELES_Lonzo Ball wasn't the only rookie who played better in his second game than his first.
After a blistering Summer League and preseason campaign, Kyle Kuzma struggled in his first regular season NBA game. While Kuzma finished Thursday's game with eight points on four-of-eight shooting, he was 1-of-5 through three quarters. Kuzma made all three of his fourth-quarter shots in garbage time.
On Friday he made a bigger impact much earlier.
In the second quarter, Kuzma made four of five shots and through three he had 13. Kuzma finished with 15 points, two assists and three rebounds. Although he only played 18 minutes in the Lakers' season opener Thursday, he played 28 minutes Friday.
"Little bit less jitters," Kuzma said. "First game, opening game of my NBA career. I was able to settle down. Made some shots. Made the game simple, really focused on defense, and everything else opened up."
Kuzma, who led the Lakers in scoring during the preseason, played the entire fourth quarter Friday in Phoenix, including the critical moments at the end of the game as the Lakers closed out the Suns.
It was Kuzma to whom Ball threw two of his nine assists, including his final one as the Lakers made their final push.
"Any time me and him are on the court, we have a little connection," Kuzma said.
Ball said he never looks at statistics until after the game ends, so he had no idea he was as close as he was to a triple double.
His teammates didn't either. Even as he left the locker room Friday night, Kuzma still hadn't heard.
"What'd he fall short?" Kuzma asked.
Told just one assist, he replied: "He did it in summer league, why not the NBA?"
