After a fairly quiet first half, Jonathan Kuminga scored 13 points in the third quarter to spark the Golden State Warriors‘ 119-109 win over the Los Angeles Lakers on opening night. Kuminga’s performance didn’t go unnoticed, with coach Steve Kerr praising his performance in the first game of the new season.
Speaking to reporters after the game, Kerr liked the maturity that Kuminga showed by acknowledging his mistakes. He also credited Jimmy Butler for taking the 23-year-old forward under his wing.
“I think he’s really matured. He’s had a great camp. We’ve had some really good conversations. I think he has a better understanding of what we need. You saw in the first half he took a couple tough mid-range fadeaways that we don’t want. He immediately held up his hand, realized it was not the shot,” Kerr said.
Kuminga finished the game with 17 points, nine rebounds and six assists to help the Warriors win their first game of the season. He also looked good defensively against Luka Doncic at times, but the Lakers superstar still had 43 points on 17-for-27 shooting.
Kerr Hoping For Kuminga’s Consistency
While Steve Kerr emphasized the need for spacing to help Jonathan Kuminga, it wasn’t provided early on Tuesday’s season opener. Kuminga was inserted into the starting lineup with Draymond Green and Jimmy Butler.
Steph Curry provided a lot of spacing, but there was still a clog early on. Kuminga did make some good passes in the first half, but it took him some time to make the adjustments. He was perfect in the third quarter, scoring 13 points on 5-for-5 shooting. He also knocked down three 3-point shots to spark Golden State’s run.
Steve Kerr explained to reporters that he understands how Kuminga is different from other young players. He loved how he continues to improve, and he’s hoping that the forward becomes more consistent this season.
“I think Jonathan is, you gotta remember, he just turned 23. So I talk about this a lot, but he’s basically, he played what, eight games in the G League bubble and came to us basically as a freshman in college. That’s how I looked at it. And so a lot of the players today just don’t get the same experience reps that they did years. ago. And for him, it hasn’t been easy to find minutes on our team. And I’m really proud of him for staying with it and really maturing. And it’s a great start for him and for us,” Kerr said.
After a long contract holdout, Kuminga signed a two-year, $48.5 million extension with the Warriors. He’s eligible for trade on January 16, but with performances like this one, it could be hard for Golden State to part ways with him.
Kuminga’s Rebounding and Passing Stood Out
Jonathan Kuminga’s 13-point outburst in the third quarter might have stolen the show, but it was his rebounding and passing that should excite Warriors fans. ESPN’s Kevin Pelton made a bold prediction if Kuminga continues to play like this during the season.
“More than anything, I was encouraged by Jonathan Kuminga’s performance. Sure, Kuminga scored prolifically in the third quarter, but this was a complete effort featuring four 3-pointers, nine rebounds and six assists — one off his career high. If Kuminga keeps playing this style, the Warriors will be hard to beat,” Pelton wrote.
Kuminga stole the show, but it was a total team effort by the Warriors. Jimmy Butler had 31 points, five rebounds and four assists, while Steph Curry had 23 points, four assists and three steals. Buddy Hield was scorching off the bench, finishing with 17 points.
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