Golden State Warriors superstar Stephen Curry sent a strong message to Jonathan Kuminga, who was a healthy scratch in their 124-119 overtime loss to the Los Angeles Clippers on Sunday that relegated them to the play-in tournament.
“Just to be ready,” Curry told reporters when asked about Kuminga’s CD-DNP. “It’s the test of a young player in this league and especially with our team. Never knowing when your moment will be there, even in the brightest and highest of moments.”
Kuminga was not part of the Warriors’ nine-man rotation against the Clippers, a decision that was not surprising at all as Golden State coach Steve Kerr hinted about it heading into their regular season finale.
“Every game is different and I think Jimmy’s arrival took away a lot of Jonathan’s minutes at the four,” Kerr said on 95.7 The Game’s Mark T. Willard and Dan Dibley on April 10.
“There’s no doubt that as soon as Jimmy [Butler] arrived and we started winning, we leaned into the lineup combinations that enhanced Jimmy because we were winning and Jonathan was out for that whole stretch. We went like 17 and 3 or something, so we’re going to keep doing what’s been winning.”
Then Kerr finally addressed the big elephant in the room.
“But the lineup with Jimmy, Jonathan and Draymond [Green] doesn’t fit really well, frankly. It just doesn’t,” Kerr admitted. “We need more spacing. We’ve found other lineups that have clicked, and this is just part of the deal, being in the NBA, and you’ve got to adapt to whatever’s happening with the team.”
Steph Curry Warns Jonathan Kuminga on ‘Outside Noise’
Butler played 48 of 53 minutes while Moses Moody had a 30-minute stint as Kerr’s starting forwards. Gary Payton II, Buddy Hield, Kevon Looney and rookie Quinten Post played in the second unit.
“It wasn’t his time tonight,” Curry said of Kuminga. “I guess Memphis could be a game where he makes his presence felt. Don’t let noise outside of the locker room – the attention that might come from it – distract you from your ability to make an impact when your number is called.”
The Warriors will host the Grizzlies on Tuesday in the play-in tournament.
If they win, they will advance as the No. 7 seed, facing No. 2 seed Houston Rockets in the first round of the NBA Playoffs. If they lose, they will battle the loser between the Dallas Mavericks and Sacramento Kings for the No. 8 seed, who will have a daunting first-round matchup against the No. 1 seed Oklahoma City Thunder.
The 22-year-old Kuminga averaged 10.7 points, 3.3 rebounds and 2.0 assists in three games against the Grizzlies this season.
Warriors Have a Size Problem
The Grizzlies, like the Clippers have the size that poses the biggest challenge to the Warriors. They were minus-17 in the rebounding department against the bigger Clippers which hastened their overtime loss. The Clippers were also plus-4 in points inside the paint.
“Whatever the game calls for like coach makes decisions, “Curry told reporters, “and you understand when certain combinations are out there especially if it’s JK, he can make his presence felt in the paint like he’s had some games where he’s attacked the glass and made that a point of emphasis.
“And if he’s out there, that’s a great way for him to make his presence felt but no matter what the combinations are we got to be ready for whatever that one game kind of environment. Everybody has to be ready including him.”
