One of the Lakers’ young studs went toe-to-toe in a battle between star rookies. Another made the ambitious shift from power forward to point guard (out of necessity).
And while Kyle Kuzma and Julius Randle each stepped up to the moment, they could not carry the Lakers to victory, as their shorthanded squad fell to Utah, 117-110.
In his homecoming, Kuzma — who played collegiately in Salt Lake City for the Utah Utes — dazzled from mid-range, dropping 26 points while baiting the Jazz into 12 free throw attempts (though he only made seven).
Third game in a row that Kyle Kuzma has broken out the baseline fadeaway.