The Golden State Warriors got back in the win column with a 115-121 win over the Orlando Magic on Tuesday (Jan. 3.) Orlando has been making a name for themselves this season with some stellar performances and the internal development shown by Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner. As such, Golden State’s win was meaningful following a tough stretch of losses.
Following the game, Steve Kerr used his post-game media availability to praise Jonathan Kuminga‘s efforts on both sides of the ball. He noted how the third-year forward did a solid job of containing Orlando’s wings during the second half, and how he did a good job of creating easy offense for himself.
“I thought JK had a nice game,” Kerr said. “He played hard. He wasn’t into the ball enough in the first half, and Wagner was getting downhill. I thought his defense picked up, and he was better in the second half. JK gives us those buckets around the hoop. Those are big for us; we don’t score easily around the basket all the time. So, when he can get to the hoop, get to the foul line, get us easy buckets, it’s really important for us. I thought he played a really good game.”
Kuminga ended the game against Orlando with 19 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists, and 2 blocks on 50% shooting from the field. Since Draymond Green’s suspension, Kuminga has established himself as a key member of the starting rotation and is proving that he’s talented enough to be a significant piece of the Warriors roster moving forward.
Kerr praised Kuminga's work defending the Magic's wings and providing rim pressure 💪 pic.twitter.com/WEmkWf8fb6
— Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) January 3, 2024
Kuminga’s two-way performances have been impressive this season, and it’s clear he’s taken a developmental leap. It will be interesting to see if he remains in the starting rotation once Green eventually returns from his suspension.
