Jonathan Kuminga returned to the Golden State Warriors rotation on Sunday for his team’s 110-118 win over the Utah Jazz. He had missed the previous six games with a knee injury.
In his absence, Trayce Jackson-Davis and Draymond Green have formed a fearsome defensive duo in the frontcourt.
As a result, Kuminga was relegated to a bench role for Steve Kerr. He ended the game with 21 points, 10 rebounds and 4 assists on 81.8% shooting. When speaking to the media after the game, Kuminga noted he understood why he was coming off the bench, and that the Warriors had to stick with a lineup that has been making an impact in recent weeks.
“It doesn’t affect me at the end of the day,” Kuminga said. “As long as I know, I can go out there and affect us winning. That’s all that matters. Everybody could play. At the end of the day, it’s the coach’s decision. If that’s how they feel, and everything is moving well, why would you want to go away from what’s moving well. Me personally, I think since I’ve been out, everything has been moving just fine. … We’re just gonna stick with what’s helping us win.”
Kuminga has been a core part of the Warriors rotation this season. His athleticism has provided Kerr’s team with a different dimension when attacking the rim. He’s also shined as a wing defender.
"Everything is moving well. Why would you want to move away from what is moving well?"
JK understands Kerr's decision to have him come off the bench in favor of TJD pic.twitter.com/5wNmXzBCoz
— Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) April 8, 2024
The Warriors have secured at least the 10th seed in the Western Conference. They will need to win two play-in tournament games to qualify for the postseason. Having Kuminga in the rotation and performing at a high level off the bench will be vital to the team’s chances of making it to the postseason and potentially embarking on a run.
