How Jonathan Kuminga fits into the Warriors playoff plans
Coach Steve Kerr said he has “no doubt” that Jonathan Kuminga will make
an impact in the playoffs, but how much he will use the rookie remains
unclear.
>Golden State Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga (00) aims for the
basket as Miami Heat center Bam Adebayo (13) defends during the first
half of an NBA basketball game, Wednesday, March 23, 2022, in Miami. (AP
Photo/Marta Lavandier)
>Golden State Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga (00) aims for the
basket as Miami Heat center Bam Adebayo (13) defends during the first
half of an NBA basketball game, Wednesday, March 23, 2022, in Miami. (AP
Photo/Marta Lavandier)
By MADELINE KENNEY | mkenney@bayareanewsgroup.com | Bay Area News Group
PUBLISHED: April 10, 2022 at 6:25 a.m. | UPDATED: April 11, 2022 at 4:16
a.m.
https://www.eastbaytimes.com/2022/04/10/how-jonathan-kuminga-fits-into-the-warriors-playoff-plans/

SAN ANTONIO – Coach Steve Kerr said he has “no doubt” that Jonathan
Kuminga will make an impact in the playoffs, but how much he will use
the rookie remains unclear.

Kuminga has earned a right to be in the conversation of being part of
the Warriors playoff rotation, an impressive feat for a 19-year-old on a
team that’s a championship contender when healthy.

Saturday’s win against the Spurs gave another glimpse at Kerr’s
postseason rotation plans. He’s recently been going for a more
experienced second unit with players like Gary Payton II, Andre
Iguodala, Otto Porter Jr. and Nemanja Bjelica. That means Kuminga, who
didn’t play in the first and third quarters of the Warriors’ 100-94 win,
might be on the first man out.

“JK is the guy we go to after that group so it’s kind of been that way
the last few games,” Kerr said after the game. “And if he’s got it going
we’ll stay with them and if not, then we’ll go back to the bets but he’s
doing a great job staying ready.”

Kerr’s message to Kuminga is grab a ticket and wait for your number to
be called, and that’s exactly what the rookie said he plans to do.

Draymond Green is confident Kuminga, currently one of the youngest
players in the league, is ready for the big stage of the playoffs.

“He’s shown us that at the end of the day it’s still basketball and he
can step on the floor and stand next to anybody,” Green said.

That was clear in Saturday’s game when Kuminga made a case for why he
deserves a spot in the Warriors playoff rotation.

Kuminga provided a spark off the bench during his big second quarter. He
stripped the ball from Spurs forward Keita Bates-Diop and then lobbed it
to Gary Payton II who got a layup in transition. He got another steal
moments later off of a bad pass from center Zach Collins before
subsequently drawing a foul while driving through the lane.

Kuminga was perfect in the second quarter as a shooter, going 4-for-4
overall (1-for-1 from 3-point range) and 4-for-4 from the free-throw
line. He finished with 13 points in almost 11 minutes.

The seventh overall pick of last year’s draft opened the fourth quarter
with a 24-foot 3-pointer and finished with team-high-tying 18 points on
6-of-8 shooting.

Predicting the playoff rotation is impossible at this point because
there’s so many factors that could be at play, including matchups and
health. Even Kerr acknowledged that it’ll remain fluid and could change
on a moment’s notice.

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“You just don’t know how the playoffs are gonna shake out but you got a
lot of options,” he said. “I like the combination of those vets, they
know how to play and they’re doing a great job, but the option to go to
JK [is there], and it’s a really powerful one.”

But Kuminga has shown immense progress over the course of the season and
proven why he’s a key part of the Warriors’ future. He’s averaged 9.2
points on 50.9% shooting in 69 games while playing several different
roles due to injuries. In general, his shot selection has improved, and
he’s become more aggressive attacking the rim and defending.

Kuminga said that the game is slowing down for him and that he had a
better understanding of his role and what he’s capable of.

“When I look back to when I started to this point, it’s just a
motivation,” he said. “I feel like I got way, way better and that’s just
dedication, listening and doing little things. That’s what got me here.

Added Bjelica, “He showed to everybody that he’s the future of this
team. It’s really a joy to watch him growing. Of course he’s young… he’s
growing every game and it’s a huge potential.”

--
Madeline Kenney | Warriors reporter