Mysterious Disappearance of Local Teen Sparks Intense Search: What Really Happened That Night?

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Ever found yourself wondering, “When does a sports investment become a costly misstep?” Well, for the Milwaukee Bucks, this ponderous query might be hitting a tad too close to comfort. Kyle Kuzma’s playoff debut could be the answer every Bucks fan wishes they didn’t already know. With the Bucks hitting the courtfolio (yes, I mean the court and the portfolio) hard in Game 1, Kuzma, the ex-Wizard (of defense?), seemed more like a misfit piece to the championship puzzle.

A Side-Dish of Stats: Scoring absolutely nada in the Bucks’ 117-98 deflate-ation against the Indiana Pacers, Kuzma’s on-court presence was less of a sparkler and more of a damp squib. Perusing the numbers crunched by none other than the digital wizard Evan Sidery, the Bucks’ performance was a stark contrast; 62.8 points per 100 possessions better with Kuzma sidelined! On the floor? An offensive rating of a meager 87.2, a defensive rating of an eyebrow-raising 144.4, and a net rating that plummeted at a whopping -57.2. When Kuzma was off? The numbers reversed, glittering like the lights of Fiserv Forum- 105.6 OffRtg, 100.0 DefRtg, and a +5.6 NetRtg.

The Godfather of Benchwarming: Quotes like, “Kuzma needs to be benched for Milwaukee to have a glimmer of hope,” might sting, but they’re the kind of cold, harsh truths Doc Rivers, the captain of our Bucks’ ship, might need to swallow. Will he listen? Or will Kuzma continue to grace us with his unique stats? In SEO terms, Kuzma’s performance has been more of a negative keyword than a key contributor to the Bucks’ recipe. How long will the Bucks let this go on in the playoffs where every snippet of time on court matters?

An SEO-trained Fairytale Ending, or Maybe Not: Can Kuzma, averaging a decent 14.5 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 2.2 assists since joining the Bucks, turn his playoff page for Game 2? Or will we see Doc Rivers pull a “365chess” move, shifting Kuzma to the sideline purgatory? With Lillard waiting in the wings, the Bucks have room for maneuver, but if Kuzma doesn’t step up or Doc doesn’t bench him, the climb to another playoff round might seem like an SEO ranking disaster… Now, let’s dive deeper into the numbers, the game, and the prognosis for our boy Kuzma in this Bucks ballad.

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.

The post Insider Believes 1 Bucks Player ‘Needs To Be Benched’ To Win appeared first on The Cold Wire.