Kyle Kuzma was the hero for the Los Angeles Lakers last night. With 4.5 seconds left, the Lakers were tied 121-121 with the Nuggets. Anthony Davis gave Kuzma the screen and handoff and Kuzma hit the game-winning three. He had a great game overall, scoring 26 points while shooting 11/16 from the field.

Post-game, former NBA champions Shaquille O’Neal and Dwyane Wade talked about how the Lakers need to involve Kuzma more.

“I like Kuz,” Shaq said. “(But) I can’t say big 3 yet. I don’t want to put that pressure. Next year the pressure’s coming. They don’t get him involved enough sometimes he’s null and void sometimes he plays like this. If he can play like this every game during the postseason, they’re going to be tough to beat.”

Can Kuzma be the third guy for the Los Angeles Lakers?

Wade said Kuzma has to, but the Lakers need other guys to chip in as well.

“They need three guys each night in the playoffs to step up,” Wade said. “Kuz has to be that third guy. The big 2 got to lead the way. Kuz got to get in to do his thing, but they also need these other guys to come in and chip in and do their job.”

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Wade doesn’t believe Kuzma can go off like this every game, but the Lakers need to involve him and let him loose, and he will make the most out of it.

“I can’t say (Kuz gets 25 every night) but if they keep Kuz involved, he’s a rhythm scorer. If he hits one shot, he can go off and give you 20-25. So they have to make sure they’re running sets and plays like at the end. Amazing play out of the timeout to get Kuz involved, get his confidence rolling as they go into the playoffs. They gotta continue to do that.”

Throughout the bubble, when his other teammates have been shooting poorly, Kuzma is the only Laker to shoot above 40% from three. He is currently at 44%, while the closest to him is Quinn Cook with 35%. If Kuzma can maintain this form in the playoffs, Anthony Davis and LeBron James will have some burden waived off their shoulders.

Time to let Kuz loose?

Sources: Basketball-Reference.com, Can LeBron, AD and Kyle Kuzma Become LA’s New ‘Big Three’? | NBA on TNT