On Thursday night, the Golden State Warriors turned in perhaps the grittiest win of their season thus far, defeating a surging Houston Rockets team 99-93 at home in the Bay Area.
In a contest that featured no Stephen Curry or Draymond Green due to injury, the Dubs were still able to muscle out the win thanks to solid contributions from other play-makers within their rotation.
One performance stood above the rest, with Jonathan Kuminga turning in a particularly impressive outing against a scrappy Rockets squad. This included notching a new career high and sending a strong message to the Warriors’ organization and coaching staff.
Here’s a closer look at the young star’s career night and what this impressive performance means for the Dubs moving forward.
A Career Night For Kuminga
Without their superstar Stephen Curry and defensive cornerstone Draymond Green against Houston, the Warriors leaned heavily on players like Jonathan Kuminga and Andrew Wiggins, who both answered the call for the team in big ways.
Kuminga was particularly impressive, registering a career-high 33 points, six boards, and two assists. The former seventh-overall selection also had an efficient night scoring the ball from deep, knocking down three of his six attempts from behind the arc.
As of recently, much of the conversation surrounding the Warriors has been about crunch time. When closing games— outside of Stephen Curry— the Dubs don’t have another sure-fire “bucket-getter” to defer to in clutch situations. Against the Rockets, Kuminga displayed his ability to fill that role for the squad, making several big-time clutch plays for the Warriors down the stretch of the contest.
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Apart from his scoring output, Kuminga was also productive on the defensive side of the ball, registering one block and flying around making plays. Kuminga’s two-way ability has always been a part of his dynamic skillset, and performances like his against the Rockets demonstrate why many believe the young man has the potential to develop into a star in this league.
Kuminga’s Statement to the Warriors’ Front Office
So far this season, Kuminga’s role within the Warriors’ rotation has been somewhat unclear. The 22-year-old has only started four games this season, appearing in just 23.1 minutes per contest. This performance sends a clear message to the Warriors’ front office and Steve Kerr‘s coaching staff: he needs more playtime moving forward.
Plain and simple, Steve Kerr and the Warriors need to give Jonathan Kuminga more room to grow and develop. If they don’t, teams will come a-knocking come the trade deadline
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