Back on April 23, during the first half of Game 4 of the Warriors-Kings first round playoff series, Jonathan Kuminga sat on the bench with a towel draped over his head. He had just been benched after a 3-minute spurt when the Kings went on a 13-5 run and Kuminga made some glaring effort mistakes.
Maybe coach Steve Kerr told him he was done for the night, because Warriors super veteran Andre Iguodala came over for what looked to be a pep talk. Kuminga wouldn’t play the rest of the evening, got a DNP in Game 5 and was relegated to just garbage time minutes in the final two games of the contest.
Every playoff series is a new mini-season unto itself, with new rotations, new rules and new assignments. Though he just logged 36 low-impact minutes in seven games against the Kings, Kuminga’s role figures to be bigger against the Lakers in the second round, as he could be used to try and slow down LeBron James.
Kuminga knows he has a new opportunity, as he tweeted out a few hours before Tuesday's Game 1 tip-off.
Another day another opportunity
— Jonathan Kuminga 🇨🇩 (@JonathanKuming6) May 2, 2023
According to a report by The Athletic, part of Steph Curry’s epic speech before Game 7 last weekend was pointed at youngsters like Kuminga and Jordan Poole, who struggled but will still be relied upon in the remainder of the postseason.
Without mentioning him by name, Curry during his postgame Game 7 press conference also hinted at the contributions Kuminga would need to make going forward.
“Even if guys didn’t get much run in this series, that’s the nature of the playoffs,” Curry said. “We move on to a different team, a different style and everybody’s gotta be able to make those adjustments on the fly.”
According to the Twitter account @KumingaMuse, JK has fared well against the living legend in two meetings so far this season.
Kuminga hasn’t shied away from the challenge of LeBron throughout his young career. Even as a rookie in 2022, Kuminga opened eyes for his efforts against James and the Lakers.
Listed at 6-foot-7, 225 pounds with supreme athleticism, Kuminga provides the Warriors with someone who is big enough and fast enough to run and get physical with James, listed at 6-foot-9, 250-pounds.
Kerr said Monday the matchup and the flow of the series will determine Kuminga’s workload.
“We’ll have to see how the series unfolds and we’ll see what’s necessary,” Kerr said. “He just has to keep doing what he’s doing. I think we’ve had this same conversation a dozen times. These guys are young – whether it’s Moses (Moody) or JK or any other 19-year-old who comes into the league – it’s not simple to just say, ‘All right, you’ve had 100 career NBA games, go produce in a playoff series.’ It’s not easy. It’s all part of the process. If the games dictates it, then he will definitely get an opportunity and show what he can do.”
What made Kuminga’s absence more noticeable against the Kings, is that he had become a trusted part of Kerr’s rotation during the final few weeks of the regular season. In general, Kuminga didn’t try to force the issue, cutting to the hoop for easy finishes or showing off his improved 3-point shot when he had an open look. His defensive versatility and willingness to guard top stars was also huge.
Seeing that the Lakers lead the NBA in postseason rebounding so far, Kuminga’s contributions with energy, defense and on the boards will be much needed.
“We need him to run the floor and rebound and use his athleticism and his strength,” Kerr said. “That’s all part of his growth. It’s not as simples as saying, ‘OK, we need to rebound.’ He has to learn and he has to feel that. It doesn’t necessarily happen right away, as you’ve seen. He’s had some great moments for us this year. This last series, he didn’t get a chance to play much, but he’s kept his energy up, he’s kept his spirit up and put the work in.”
