Jonathan Kuminga gives Warriors unexpected, needed scoring option against Wolves originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
Seizing an opportunity granted out of necessity, Jonathan Kuminga showed up Thursday night for the Warriors. As fate would have it, his effort to pull them from the hole they dug went for naught.
With neither Jimmy Butler III nor Draymond Green producing much under exigent conditions, Kuminga’s encouraging performance gives coach Steve Kerr something to ponder beyond a 117-93 loss to the Timberwolves in Game 2 of the Western Conference semifinals.
With Stephen Curry sidelined, Kerr and his staff planned for Kuminga to play. He played well enough to move from the far end of the bench to the heart of the rotation as the series moves to the Bay Area for Games 3 and 4.
“Did a great job, I thought,” Kerr told reporters at Target Center. “I was very proud of just the way he’s stayed ready, stayed positive. This has not been an easy stretch for him, and he really came out there and did a great job today, kind of showing what he’s made of.
“He obviously will be back out there for Game 3. And we’re going to need him.”
They got Kuminga on Thursday, but the task was too tall for him or any individual to succeed. After the Warriors won Game 1 but lost Curry in the process, this was the fully expected outcome. Aside from a third-quarter rally – an 11-3 run ignited by a Kuminga dunk that pulled them within seven – that lasted less than three minutes, they were vastly inferior to the determined Wolves.
The series is tied 1-1 because Minnesota found its offense and exploited Golden State’s smorgasbord of glitches. Moses Moody not passing to Brandin Podziemski for a layup and shooting a 10-foot airball. Kuminga watching Donte DiVincenzo scurry past him to secure a loose ball. Buddy Hield tossing a pass into the backcourt for a violation. Pat Spencer overdribbling into live-ball turnover. Trayce Jackson-Davis rolling and signaling for a lob and Podziemski missing the cue.
All this in a first half that ended with Golden State giving up 56 points and scoring 39, topped by 10 from Kuminga on 5-of-5 shooting in nine minutes off the bench.
Kuminga finished with a team-high 18 points on 8-of-11 shooting, from the field, adding five rebounds. He was minus-8 in 26 minutes, his longest run since March 17, when he played 28 minutes in a loss to the Denver Nuggets.
“Everything just came back together, as long as you stay out there and you know who you’re playing with,” Kuminga said. “Just having that rhythm, breaking this way and just staying, locked in. The rhythm kind of comes back slowly.”
Kuminga’s place in the team hierarchy tumbled with the Feb. 8 arrival of Jimmy Butler III. Kerr is reluctant to play Draymond Green, Kuminga and Butler because it creates serious floor-spacing issues. Put simply, opponents do not fear their 3-point shooting.
Yet all three started the third quarter and were on the floor, with Hield and Podziemski, during Golden State’s brief comeback attempt. They outscored Minnesota 19-9 over the first six minutes of the quarter.
Which might be why Butler believes there is a way, for all three, certainly he and Kuminga, to be productive in tandem.
“I can play with anybody; he can play with anybody,” Butler said. “It’s all about playing basketball the right way. It’s all it is, attack to score, attack to pass, just make the right play over and over and over again, every single time, no matter who you’re out there with.
“Just play basketball the right way. And me and JK, could thrive. Can and will thrive together on the basketball court.”
Kuminga’s shooting efficiency wasn’t nearly enough to bring the Warriors back from a deficit that was as high as 22 before halftime. It was enough, however, to put him back in the rotation.
Podziemski is struggling to score, shooting 16-of-44 from the field, including 7-of-26 from deep, over his last five games. Moody’s offense has gone into hibernation, as he has missed his last 14 shots spanning three games and is 24-of-71/12-of-39 in nine postseason games.
Golden State needs offense in the worst way, and Kuminga’s Game 2 performance makes him an option.
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Jonathan Kuminga gives Warriors unexpected, needed scoring option against Wolves
Seizing an opportunity granted out of necessity, Jonathan Kuminga showed up Thursday night for the Warriors. As fate would have it, his effort to pull them from the hole they dug went for naught.
With neither Jimmy Butler III nor Draymond Green producing much under exigent conditions, Kuminga’s encouraging performance gives coach Steve Kerr something to ponder beyond a 117-93 loss to the Timberwolves in Game 2 of the Western Conference semifinals.
With Stephen Curry sidelined, Kerr and his staff planned for Kuminga to play. He played well enough to move from the far end of the bench to the heart of the rotation as the series moves to the Bay Area for Games 3 and 4.
SIGN UP HERE “Did a great job, I thought,” Kerr told reporters at Target Center. “I was very proud of just the way he’s stayed ready, stayed positive. This has not been an easy stretch for him, and he really came out there and did a great job today, kind of showing what he’s made of.
“He obviously will be back out there for Game 3. And we’re going to need him.”
They got Kuminga on Thursday, but the task was too tall for him or any individual to succeed. After the Warriors won Game 1 but lost Curry in the process, this was the fully expected outcome. Aside from a third-quarter rally – an 11-3 run ignited by a Kuminga dunk that pulled them within seven – that lasted less than three minutes, they were vastly inferior to the determined Wolves.
Golden State Warriors
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The series is tied 1-1 because Minnesota found its offense and exploited Golden State’s smorgasbord of glitches. Moses Moody not passing to Brandin Podziemski for a layup and shooting a 10-foot airball. Kuminga watching Donte DiVincenzo scurry past him to secure a loose ball. Buddy Hield tossing a pass into the backcourt for a violation. Pat Spencer overdribbling into live-ball turnover. Trayce Jackson-Davis rolling and signaling for a lob and Podziemski missing the cue.
All this in a first half that ended with Golden State giving up 56 points and scoring 39, topped by 10 from Kuminga on 5-of-5 shooting in nine minutes off the bench.
Kuminga finished with a team-high 18 points on 8-of-11 shooting, from the field, adding five rebounds. He was minus-8 in 26 minutes, his longest run since March 17, when he played 28 minutes in a loss to the Denver Nuggets.
“Everything just came back together, as long as you stay out there and you know who you’re playing with,” Kuminga said. “Just having that rhythm, breaking this way and just staying, locked in. The rhythm kind of comes back slowly.”
Kuminga’s place in the team hierarchy tumbled with the Feb. 8 arrival of Jimmy Butler III. Kerr is reluctant to play Draymond Green, Kuminga and Butler because it creates serious floor-spacing issues. Put simply, opponents do not fear their 3-point shooting.
Yet all three started the third quarter and were on the floor, with Hield and Podziemski, during Golden State’s brief comeback attempt. They outscored Minnesota 19-9 over the first six minutes of the quarter.
Which might be why Butler believes there is a way, for all three, certainly he and Kuminga, to be productive in tandem.
“I can play with anybody; he can play with anybody,” Butler said. “It’s all about playing basketball the right way. It’s all it is, attack to score, attack to pass, just make the right play over and over and over again, every single time, no matter who you’re out there with.
“Just play basketball the right way. And me and JK, could thrive. Can and will thrive together on the basketball court.”
Kuminga’s shooting efficiency wasn’t nearly enough to bring the Warriors back from a deficit that was as high as 22 before halftime. It was enough, however, to put him back in the rotation.
Podziemski is struggling to score, shooting 16-of-44 from the field, including 7-of-26 from deep, over his last five games. Moody’s offense has gone into hibernation, as he has missed his last 14 shots spanning three games and is 24-of-71/12-of-39 in nine postseason games.
Golden State needs offense in the worst way, and Kuminga’s Game 2 performance makes him an option.
