Kyle Kuzma’s first playoff game with the Milwaukee Bucks did not go very well for him.
He scored exactly zero points in Milwaukee’s 117-98 loss to the Indiana Pacers, and his team was much worse when he was on the floor.
According to Evan Sidery, the Bucks were 62.8 points per 100 possessions better when Kuzma was on the bench.
When he was playing, they had an offensive rating of 87.2, a defensive rating of 144.4, and a net rating of -57.2
When he was off, those numbers were 105.6, 100.0, and +5.6.
“Kuzma needs to be benched for Milwaukee to have a real shot,” Sidery wrote, but will head coach Doc Rivers listen?
In Game 1, the Bucks were 62.8 points per 100 possessions better when Kyle Kuzma was off the court:
On (22 minutes): 87.2 OffRtg, 144.4 DefRtg, -57.2 NetRtg
Off (26 minutes): 105.6 OffRtg, 100.0 DefRtg, +5.6 NetRtg
Kuzma needs to be benched for Milwaukee to have a real shot. pic.twitter.com/oHDWBMyO2z
— Evan Sidery (@esidery) April 21, 2025
Kuzma has only been with the Bucks for a few months and has averaged 14.5 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 2.2 assists during that time.
When he came to the Bucks from the Washington Wizards, fans were hoping he’d be a huge offensive threat, able to handle the ball, spread the floor, and open Giannis Antetokounmpo up for alley-oops and more.
He might rebound in Game 2, but this first performance in the playoffs was not reassuring at all.
With that being said, it’s unlikely that Rivers will choose to bench Kuzma because he has started in 32 of his 33 games with Milwaukee.
The hope is that he can shake off whatever was bothering him in Game 1 and look much better moving forward.
The Bucks should be getting more help soon because Damian Lillard is on course to return, so some pressure will be taken off Kuzma’s shoulders.
But the path to the second round is very difficult if Kuzma keeps having nights like this.
If he doesn’t greatly improve for Game 2, the chorus of people calling for him to be benched will only grow.
NEXT: Bucks GM Has Honest Admission About Damian Lillard’s Injury Recovery
