Warriors' Jonathan Kuminga offers mixed results in return to action

With Butler being ruled out for the remainder of the game following his injury, and Brandin Podziemski struggling through illness, the Warriors were desperate for some sort of complementary scoring, hence the insertion of Kuminga. And as has often been the case during Kuminga’s tenure with the Warriors, the on-court impact was a bit of a mixed bag. 

Kuminga had his moments during the 26 minutes he logged for the Warriors. The fourth-year forward knocked down multiple threes and was just one of five Warriors to score in double figures. What the Warriors need, however, especially if Butler is going to miss an extended period, is more than just numbers and scoring. They need leadership, offensive creation, and timely baskets, specifically when Stephen Curry is catching his breath on the bench.

Expecting Kuminga to step in and replace the production of Butler, even for three-fourths of a game, is still just not a very realistic proposition. Especially in the playoffs against a feisty Rockets’ defense. Kuminga continues to not be a "fit" on this Warriors team, and while the numbers support this, the eye test affirms it. Despite being a member of Golden State and playing beside Curry for four years now, Kuminga still doesn’t fully seem to grasp his role. There is a reason why head coach Steve Kerr has chosen to essentially remove Kuminga entirely from the rotation, despite him being the Warriors’ third-leading scorer this year.

If Butler, who is expected to get an MRI on Thursday, is unable to get back to close to 100 percent for Game 3, this series could get out of hand very quickly. Simply put, the Warriors are severely unequipped to make up for the loss of Butler, and Wednesday's 109-94 loss was further proof of that.

The Warriors should be happy returning home for Games 3 and 4, but without Butler, this team just doesn’t have the horses to keep up with the young upstart Rockets.