As the Golden State Warriors prepare for Game 3 against the Minnesota Timberwolves, they’ll still be without offensive engine Stephen Curry, who came up lame with a hamstring strain in Game 1. On the heels of Curry’s leg injury, the Warriors were steamrolled by the Timberwolves in their next semifinals matchup. Indeed, Game 2’s loss was their worst of the 2025 NBA Playoffs; their first with a 20-plus point deficit.
However, during Game 2’s blowout, Golden State had two silver linings.
Can Jonathan Kuminga’s Game 2 Performance Carry To Game 3?
To be clear, Jimmy Butler had the best overall game, but one that was below his standard. Nevertheless, Jonathan Kuminga and Trayce Jackson-Davis played above expectations, making their performances more resonant.
Kuminga, an embattled young forward who has been all but out of Golden State’s playoff rotation, recorded 18 points (on 11 shots) and five rebounds in 26 minutes. Jackson-Davis, who has been out the rotation nearly all season, recorded 15 points (on six shots) and six rebounds in 19 minutes. For a team that has to figure out where their points will come from without Curry, Kuminga’s play was particularly notable, as he was able to score on and off the ball with relative ease.
He attacked Minnesota’s defenders with strength and speed. He demonstrated soft touch on his jumpers. Kuminga even caught them sleeping.
Despite the Game 2 loss on the road, Jonathan Kuminga provided a spark off the bench, contributing 18 points for the GS Warriors.#NBAAfrica#NBAPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/Rz89Q25DOZ
— NBA Africa (@NBA_Africa) May 9, 2025
At the defensive end, he put a body on Anthony Edwards and Rudy Gobert. He contested shots from Naz Reid. He switched onto Mike Conley and Jaden McDaniels. His rotations weren’t always the sharpest but they were sound. He also made consistent attempts to disrupt ball-handlers with digs.
The best evidence that he was playing well? Warriors head coach Steve Kerr started him in the second half.
Steve Kerr’s Commitment
No player should be expected to shoot 72.7 percent from the field —as Kuminga did in Game 2 —in every outing. Furthermore, reaking their 1-1 tie with Minnesota is no easy feat, with or without Curry. Nonetheless, if the Warriors can bottle lightning, they have a real shot coming out on top in Game 3.
In fact, that sounds like exactly what Kerr will try to do. Following Game 2, the nine-time NBA champion told reporters that Kuminga is “absolutely part of (their) formula” without Curry (h/t The Athletic’s Anthony Slater).
Steve Kerr affirms that Kuminga and TJD will be part of Game 3 rotation.
“There’s no Steph. It’s a completely different team.”
“Everything has to be about finding a new formula and JK is absolutely a part of that formula.”
“(TJD) showed he can be effective against this team.”
— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) May 9, 2025
Now, those that see the irony in Kerr’s comments aren’t alone. Given his oft-discussed criticism of the team’s floor spacing with Kuminga on the floor, it seems counterintuitive to believe those concerns have been alleviated when Curry —the best 3-point shooter of all-time —is now out with an injury. Yet, as they say, every series has its own challenges.
The ones the Warriors currently face call for Kerr to roll the dice on Kuminga, one of their few true shot-creators.
© Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images
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