Kyle Kuzma took advantage of the opportunity he was given throughout the 2021-22 season, setting career highs in minutes (33.4) per contest and rounding out his game with career marks in rebounds (8.5) and assists (3.5) per game. He scored 20-plus points 26 times, 30-plus points four times and led the team in boards in 32 games. After strong two-way play in the opening weeks of the season laid the foundation for his standout campaign, a red-hot scoring streak mid-way through the season put him in the spotlight. Over eight games from December 28 to January 11, Kuzma averaged 26.6 points on 53.6% from the field to go along with 11.3 rebounds per game, establishing himself as one of the Wizards’ go-to threats each and every night out. Here, we break down Kuzma’s best five performances of his outstanding 2021-22 season.
February 25 vs. San Antonio:
36 PTS / 8 REB / 7 AST
13-27 (.481) FG / 3-5 (.600) 3P / 7-8 (.875) FT
In a high-scoring, double-overtime showdown with the Spurs, Kuzma led all scorers with 36 points, tying a season high, on 13-27 (.481) from the field to go along with eight rebounds and seven assists. It marked the second time in his five-year NBA career that he totaled at least 30 points, five rebounds and five assists in the same game, just weeks after the first occurrence on January 3 against the Hornets. Kuzma’s standout performance came in a team-high 46 minutes, one of five games throughout the 2021-22 season in which he played over 40 minutes. Four free throws in the closing 1:14 of regulation capped a 12-point fourth quarter that fueled a Washington resurgence to force overtime. The Wizards eventually fell to the Spurs 157-153, the fourth time since the NBA-ABA merger in 1976 that Washington has scored over 150 points in a game.
February 26 at Cleveland:
34 PTS / 13 REB / 2 BLK
13-22 (.591) FG / 8-11 (.727) 3P
In one of his four 30-point performances of the 2021-22 season – and less than 24 hours after the 36-point performance in a double-overtime matchup with the Spurs – Kuzma put on another show. Against Cleveland, he scored a game-best 34 points, driven primarily by the best long-range shooting night of his career. Kuzma converted on 8-11 (.727) threes, setting a new career high and a season high for any Wizards player. His eight triples were the most a Wizards player has hit since Davis Bertans buried nine against the Nuggets on February 17, 2021. Kuzma added 13 rebounds to make the outing one of his nine games last season with at least 20 points and 10 boards.
January 9 at Orlando:
27 PTS / 22 REB
10-19 (.526) FG / 3-6 (.500) 3P / 4-6 (.667) FT
Matching up with the Magic in early January, Kuzma produced a historic stat-line in one of his most impactful two-way performances of the season. Kuzma totaled 27 points and 22 rebounds in a two-point win in Orlando, giving him seven-straight games with at least 20 points and five double-doubles in that span. The Wizards’ wing was an efficient 10-19 (.526) from the field and 3-6 (.500) from beyond the arc. With the performance, Kuzma became the fourth Wizards’ player in the last 10 years with 20+ rebounds and the first Wizard to record a 20-20 game since Antawn Jamison in 2010.
January 3 vs. Charlotte:
36 PTS / 14 REB / 6 AST
13-26 (.500) FG / 6-11 (.545) 3P / 4-4 (1.000) FT
Kuzma and Bradley Beal combined for 71 points to lead the Wizards to a three-point win over the Hornets, a game that featured 11 lead changes and six ties. Kuzma set the tone for Washington, scoring 13 of his game- and season-high 36 points in the opening frame – and helped seal the win with a trio of 3-pointers and a pair of clutch free throws in the final three minutes of the contest. The 6-11 (.545) night from beyond the arc was one of five games during the 2021-22 season in which Kuzma made at least five 3-pointers.
February 10 vs. Brooklyn:
15 PTS / 13 REB / 10 AST
6-15 (.400) FG / 1-5 (.200) 3P / 2-2 (1.000) FT
In Washington’s first outing since trading away a number of key rotation players, just hours after the trade deadline, Kuzma stepped up with an all-around performance to lead the Wizards to a win over the Nets. Kuzma totaled 15 points, 13 rebounds and 10 assists, the first triple-double of his NBA career, in Washington’s 113-112 win over Brooklyn.