Paul George turned back the clock on Tuesday night-and Kyle Kuzma was on the receiving end of a vintage PG highlight.
Midway through the third quarter of the Bucks-76ers matchup in Philadelphia, George uncorked a slick step-back move that had Kuzma stumbling. It was the kind of ankle-bending crossover that gets replayed for days, and George made sure to finish the moment in style, draining a three-pointer with space to spare.
The crowd at Wells Fargo Center erupted, and so did the internet.
Fans flooded social media with reactions, ranging from the hilarious to the brutal. One fan joked, “PG just sent Kuzma back to the G League with that one,” while another quipped, “Kuz was out there dancin’.” A third added, “He looked like he was sliding on the patch ice on Broad Street,” a nod to the Philly setting and Kuzma’s slippery misstep.
Of course, fans also pointed out the physicality of the move-“Professional shoulder shove into the snatch but I’ll allow it,” said one commenter, acknowledging the fine line between finesse and force in a move like that.
As for the numbers, George didn’t just have a highlight-reel moment-he had a night. The veteran forward poured in a season-high 32 points, knocking down nine threes and looking every bit like the All-NBA version of himself. While the Bucks ultimately fell to the Sixers, 139-122, George’s performance was a bright spot in an otherwise tough outing for Milwaukee.
Kuzma finished with 17 points, but his night is likely to be remembered more for that one defensive misstep than his offensive contributions.
Now, the Bucks are staring down a four-game losing streak and looking for answers. They’ll get another shot to right the ship on Thursday when they visit the Washington Wizards-a team they’ve already seen three times this season. Milwaukee took the first matchup, 133-120, but Washington bounced back with two close wins: 129-126 in Milwaukee and 114-113 at home.
For Kuzma, the upcoming matchup offers a chance to reset. He’s averaged just 6.7 points on 47.1% shooting in the previous three games against Washington this season. If the Bucks are going to snap their skid, they’ll need more from him-and less of what we saw Tuesday night.
George’s crossover may have stolen the headlines, but for Milwaukee, the focus now shifts to getting back in the win column.