With a 104-100 win on Tuesday vs. the Mavericks, the Warriors are now 41-34 this season. That is 10th in the Western Conference with seven games left. For their last four contests, the team has been without PF Jonathan Kuminga who’s having a breakout season.
Luckily, the team is on a five-game win streak and has been able to play well without Kuminga. The 21-year-old has missed their last four games with a knee injury. Per NBA insider Shams Charania, Warriors head coach Steve Kerr said that Kuminga will be back this Thursday vs. the Rockets. It’s an important game for Golden State who have a three-game lead on Houston.
Jonathan Kuminga is expected to return on Thursday when the Warriors face the Rockets
“Jonathan Kuminga will be back on Thursday in Houston, according to Steve Kerr…Getting Kuminga back in the lineup, getting him a rhythm before the playoffs, that’s going to be big for them.”@ShamsCharania updates on Jonathan Kuminga #Warriors
📺: https://t.co/wdT8I0ST8g pic.twitter.com/Aumh1rWdkJ
— Run It Back (@RunItBackFDTV) April 3, 2024
In the first two seasons of his career, Jonathan Kuminga averaged (9.6) points per game. Golden State used a top 10 pick on Kuminga in 2021 and he hadn’t lived up to his expectations. Early in the 2023-24 season, he was falling out of the rotation for head coach Stever Kerr. It was not looking promising for Kuminga in his third year with the Warriors. However, Draymond Green was suspended by the team and that gave Kuminga a chance for a larger role.
The 21-year-old took full advantage of his opportunities and started to thrive as another scoring option for Golden State. His (16.3) points are a new career-high and are the third-most of any Warriors player in 2023-24. Kuminga has missed their last four games with a knee injury. He is finally healthy enough to play and is expected to make his return this Thursday vs. the Rockets. It’s an extremely important matchup for both teams.
Kerr: Jonathan Kuminga (knee) out Tuesday, will play Thursday.
— Underdog NBA (@Underdog__NBA) April 3, 2024
With seven games left in the regular season, the Warriors need a win this Thursday to lock up their chances of making the play-in tournament. Golden State has a three-game lead on the Rockets. A win for Houston on Thursday would lead to an even smaller gap between the two teams. Can the Warriors take care of business against Hoston and give themselves a chance to make the playoffs in 2024?
Add Sportslens to your Google News Feed!
