Why Stephen Curry's Injury Return Will Hurt One Warriors Player

The impact of Curry's eventual return

The Warriors will undoubtedly be waiting with open arms for the return of Curry to the lineup. However, Kuminga, who finally put in a good performance, may be a casualty of that re-distribution of minutes.

The Warriors forward has seen inconsistent playing time throughout these NBA Playoffs. Kuminga only appeared in three games of the first-round series against the Rockets, playing as little as seven minutes or as many as 26.

The 22-year-old has now played in both games against the Timberwolves. However, the safe assumption would be his minutes taking a considerable dip once Curry returns to the court.

"I feel like the confidence just came back," Kuminga told Anthony Slater after getting an extended opportunity off the bench in Game 2.

The forward continued: "As long as your confidence is there, it makes you happy, ... [and] as long as you have joy, you could do a lot of things. ... It don't matter even if the ball is going in, you can still do other things besides scoring."

When Curry returns, it is difficult to imagine Kuminga maintaining a regular role off the bench. It will be worth monitoring how it affects his confidence and joy.