Golden State Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga didn't play in Thursday night's loss to the Memphis Grizzlies after injuring his ankle in the team's pregame warmups.
Just like Kevin Durant a few days before, Kuminga suffered an ankle ailment prior to tip-off. The 20-year-old rolled his right ankle while warming up, according to Kylen Mills of Locked on Warriors.
The injury happened on a drill; Kuminga gathered for a layup near the basket and fell to the hardwood, where he remained on the ground for a extended period.
NBC Sports Bay Area cameras spotted the youngster leaving the arena in a walking boot; he had previously tweaked his ankle in a game game against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Tuesday night.
“The second-year forward has been a key rotation player for the Warriors off the bench this season. Kuminga is averaging 9.2 points and 3.3 rebounds in 20.2 minutes per game,” wrote RealGM.com on Friday. “His improved passing and defense have been cited by Golden State coaches as key improvements Kuminga has made since his rookie season.”
The tension between Draymond Green and Grizzlies' Dillon Brooks was the focal point of Thursday's matchup, after Brooks told ESPN's Tim Keown last week that he “didn't like Green or the Warriors,” adding that the Warriors forward “talks a lot.”
Green responded by calling Brooks a “clown” on his podcast, “The Draymond Green Show,” saying Memphis is not ready to compete for a title because of Brooks.
The Grizzlies got the last laugh against the Jonathan Kuminga-less Warriors on Thursday, dominating from the start and scoring 48 points in the first quarter. Memphis went on to win the game, 131-110 in their first W against Golden State this season.
It will be a significant loss for the Warriors if Kuminga misses an extended period; he's averaging 13.8 points and 4.8 rebounds while shooting 52.9 percent from the field and 40 percent from 3-point range since the NBA All-Star break.
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