Jonathan Kuminga could be X factor for Warriors going forward

With Stephen Curry sidelined, the Golden State Warriors' offense looked stagnant in their 117-93 Game 2 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves on Thursday. 

But even in defeat, the Warriors may have unearthed their X factor for the remainder of the 2025 NBA playoffs — Jonathan Kuminga. The fourth-year forward had a team-high 18 points on 8-of-11 shooting, proving a spark to Golden State's offense in his 26 minutes on the floor. 

Kuminga was so impressive that Warriors head coach Steve Kerr inserted him into the starting unit in the second half. The nod of approval was surprising considering Kerr's sporadic usage of Kuminga in the playoffs. The Congolese forward had played a combined 20 minutes in his previous three games and received four DNPs in the first-round series against the Rockets. 

Although Kuminga's decision-making leaves much to be desired — evidenced by his two careless turnovers on Thursday — he offers athleticism the Warriors could desperately use against a physical Timberwolves team. There were several instances on Thursday when he stormed past multiple Minnesota defenders and finished at the rim, even posterizing Rudy Gobert with a thunderous dunk. 

After his career playoff high, Kuminga declared his "confidence" had returned, and he was determined to help his team in Game 3.