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One of the biggest storylines during the Golden State Warriors’ opening-round playoff series against the Houston Rockets has been the role of reserve forward Jonathan Kuminga. Kuminga’s playing time has been a source of contention for Warriors fans even throughout the season.
Jonathan Kuminga missed the Game 5 loss due to illness, but Steve Kerr provided a positive injury update ahead of Game 6, as per Anthony Slater of The Athletic.
As per Steve Kerr, Jonathan Kuminga will be off the injury report and available for the Warriors’ Game 6 against the Rockets. To this point Kuminga has played only two games of this series against the Rockets, and he started in Game 3 when Jimmy Butler was out due to injury.
In his first start since Dec. 15, Kuminga responded with seven points, one rebound, and two assists in a little more than 16 minutes of play. He got his first minutes of this series in the Warriors’ Game 2 loss, finishing with 11 points, three rebounds, two assists, and one blocked shot.
Originally selected by the Warriors with the No. 7 overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, Kuminga’s role and playing time over the past couple of seasons have been inconsistent to say the least. Earlier this season, Kuminga was sidelined for 31 straight games due to an ankle injury. Heading into the playoffs, he was largely out of the rotation.
This season, Kuminga appeared in 47 games, including 10 starts at a little more than 24 minutes per game. He averaged 15.3 points, 4.6 rebounds and 2.2 assists with splits of 45.4 percent shooting from the field, 30.5 percent shooting from the three-point line, and 66.8 percent shooting from the free-throw line.
With Kuminga slated to be available for Game 6, the Warriors are looking to close out the series against the Rockets as they return home holding a 3-2 lead. The Rockets held off elimination by winning Game 5 and extending the series.
