After six games, the Golden State Warriors are gearing up for the remainder of the NBA regular season, with a steadily improving team. Contributions from Draymond Green and Jonathan Kuminga off the bench have bolstered head coach Steve Kerr’s game plan.
In their recent 127-121 win over the Houston Rockets, the Warriors had fans on the edge of their seats. Many expected to see Kuminga play a key role, especially after Kerr announced he’d be coming off the bench for this matchup.
Following Kerr’s decision, Green shared his thoughts on Kuminga’s role in an interview, addressing how the young player should handle the situation. After the Rockets game, Green commented again on Kuminga’s approach to the bench role.
“You shouldn’t love coming off the bench. But how you respond is important… Not only should we talk about his play, but we should also talk about his maturity.” Green noted that Kuminga was one of the Warriors’ top scorers in Saturday’s game in Houston.
Jonathan Kuminga (left) and Steve Kerr.
Kuminga responds to Kerr’s decision on the court
Green emphasized that Kuminga had two ways to handle Kerr’s decision: either prove his value as a starter or embrace the bench role in a way that helps the team. “How you respond to being on the bench is important. You can either talk about it or do what it takes to help the team win,” Green said.
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He added, “It’s not just about his play; it’s about his maturity. Last year, he might not have handled this as well. He’s taken a big step and had his best three games yet this season.”
Kuminga’s stats this season
Kuminga has started in 3 of the 6 games so far, averaging 23 minutes per game. Over those games, he has scored an average of 13.3 points, grabbed 3.8 rebounds, and provided 1.5 assists.
With a .564 effective field goal percentage and a .710 free throw percentage, Kuminga is proving he’s a valuable asset. As Stephen Curry remains sidelined due to injury, Kuminga’s role could grow even more significant in the upcoming NBA games.
