SAN FRANCISCO — Jonathan Kuminga checked into Game 3 of the Western Conference semifinals at the 5:50 mark of the first quarter and immediately knocked down a jump shot.
Moments later, he blocked Jaden McDaniels’ dunk attempt and completed an and-1 driving floater on the other end of the court. He lay on the Chase Center floor for several seconds as the crowd rose to its feet and reached the highest volume of the night at that point.
Both embraced one another.
“I think that got me going,” Kuminga said Saturday night after the Warriors’ 102-97 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves. “Just things like that, trying to involve the crowd, it just gave us this type of boost where we feed off that type of energy.
“It was just one of those moments. Like: I’m here.”
Here, after the most difficult and adverse month of his four-year NBA career.
The DNPs (Did Not Play). The chatter. The pressure. The confusion.
That’s a lot for anyone to take on at once, not to mention a 22-year-old. But Kuminga’s patience – as he lay on the Chase Center floor looking up at the twinkling lights with a roar of Warriors fans applauding him – finally paid off.
But it’s not as simple as flipping a switch. Not knowing when you’re going to play or be a part of the rotation. Being thrown into garbage minutes to try and light a spark without any rhythm. Kuminga played a total of 49 minutes in Golden State’s seven-game series against the Houston Rockets in the first round of the playoffs, including three DNPs.
He played 36 minutes off the bench Saturday night, scoring a career playoff-high 30 points on 11-of-18 shooting from the field and 3 of 4 from 3-point range, with six rebounds, three assists and two blocks.
“It’s not easy,” Kuminga said of being in and out of the rotation. “It’s very tough. I think the only thing that kept me ready was watching how we play, working out every other day and just watching film. I think that was the only preparation. … It’s not easy, especially when you don’t get too many opportunities to be out there.
“I can do all that in my workouts and stuff like that, but if you’re not in the game, it’s different and more serious. Just within the time, it keeps getting better. Like I said, I’m just gaining my confidence back.”
Kuminga and Jimmy Butler combined for 63 points.
The numbers during the regular season showed that lineups with the two together on the court simply didn’t work for the Warriors. The past two games have shown otherwise.
Of course, Golden State has been a much different team playing without superstar Steph Curry, which Kerr believes partly is the reason why having the two aggressive forwards on the floor at the same time can work.
Kuminga believes it’s also a comfort thing as the two become more acquainted with each other on the court. That could be a good sign for Game 4 as the Warriors trail the series 2-1 and need to find a way to win without Curry, who will be re-evaluated before Game 5 on Wednesday.
While Kerr and Kuminga’s teammates spoke highly and proudly of the young forward in their postgame comments, Kuminga was the least pleased. Mostly because his career performance didn’t result in a win.
That didn’t stop the praise, however.
“He was brilliant,” Kerr said postgame. “JK played one of the best games of his life. It was fantastic to see, and you can see how necessary he is in this matchup, especially without Steph. We’re having a tough time getting free, and he’s obviously capable of giving us some points, getting to the rim. And I thought he was fantastic.
“I’ve said it a couple times to you guys, I’ve just been impressed with the way he’s handled things the last couple weeks, with the way he stayed ready and put in the work. It paid off tonight.”
Warriors guard Buddy Hield, the team’s human injection of joy on and off the court, called Kuminga “elite” and questioned if he knows anyone who works as hard as he does.
“It’s a beautiful sight to see,” Butler added of Kuminga’s aggressiveness.
Of course, a win would have been the icing on the cake for Kuminga and the Warriors. But after the turbulent road Kuminga has been on the last few weeks, it’s safe to say he isn’t just getting his confidence back — it’s back. Fully. And it couldn’t have come at a better time for the Warriors entering a pivotal Game 4.
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