Warriors’ Jonathan Kuminga making his presence felt
Don't look now, but here comes Jonathan Kuminga.
One of the few bright spots in an otherwise gloomy season for the Warriors, the third-year forward has continued to provide a spark for the current 12-seed in the West. During the Warriors' 119-107 win over the Sixers on Tuesday, Kuminga, with 26 points, extended his streak of 20-plus points to seven consecutive games – becoming the fifth youngest in NBA history to achieve the feat while shooting over 50 percent from the field.
While his three ball is starting to come around, Kuminga's ability to attack and finish at the rim has earned the praise of teammates Draymond Green and Stephen Curry, both of whom spoke glowingly about the 21-year-old forward's development as a paint scorer Tuesday night.
"I don’t think there is anyone who can stop him from getting to his spot," Green said, via The Athletic. "At times I have to remind him that, 'You took the three and that is fine, I don’t mind you taking the three. But can somebody stop you from getting anywhere that you want to go?'"
"Whether it’s attacking driving lanes, finishing at the rim, getting transition buckets for us and knocking down open shots. There's just an element of aggressiveness," Curry said of Kuminga. "You don’t want him out there second-guessing anything."
During the seven-game stretch, Kuminga is tied for sixth in the league with 108 paint points, behind only Alperen Sengun, Nikola Jokic, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jalen Brunson, and Jaren Jackson Jr.
Earlier in the season, there were reports of Kuminga butting heads with coach Steve Kerr over his role on the team. However, those fears can now be firmly put to rest, considering Kuminga has logged over 30 minutes in his last seven outings. Before his recent hot streak, Kuminga had never played 30-plus minutes in consecutive games.
With the NBA trade deadline less than 10 days away, it's being reported that Warriors have placed the "untouchable" tag on Kuminga and view him as an integral part of their future. That said, everyone else on the roster but Curry is reportedly on the table as it pertains to trade talks.
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