The Los Angeles Lakers once again fell victim to the Denver Nuggets on Wednesday, dropping back-to-back preseason games to their Western Conference foe. Although the game was sloppy and unforgiving, there were a few key takeaways for head coach Luke Walton. Rookie Josh Hart debuted and showed a strong defensive presence, while fellow rookie Kyle Kuzma once again had a dazzling performance.
The 22-year-old dropped 21 points on 7-for-9 shooting (3-for-4 3PT FGs) while adding two rebounds and three steals. The impressive scoring outburst came with a sense of confidence, as he showed a veteran presence, along with a combination of agility and explosiveness.