Warriors: Jonathan Kuminga could earn more minutes in round two
By Tony Pesta
Usually, rotations get tighter as the NBA Playoffs rage on. For the Golden State Warriors, a second round matchup with a young, inexperienced team could serve as a fantastic learning opportunity for a young, inexperienced player like Jonathan Kuminga.
The rookie played sparse minutes in round one, earning more of a mainstay in the final two games of the series. At the ripe age of 19, Kuminga is a small fish in a big pond.
This doesn’t mean Kuminga can’t continue working up the ladder in round two, however.
Jonathan Kuminga is a perfect fit for the fast-paced, youthful basketball the Golden State Warriors can expect against the Memphis Grizzlies.
The Warriors will not be tackling a battle-tested, championship-proven squad in the Western Conference semis. Instead, they’ll be taking on the Memphis Grizzlies, a young, wide-eyed team looking to make their first impact on the postseason.
There is no reason to underestimate the Grizzlies. They finished with 56 wins and have shown remnants of the grit-and-grind era that made Memphis a thorn in the side of many championship hopeful teams in the past.
Still, the Dubs hold a strong advantage over their youthful counterparts. Experience matters in the playoffs and we’ve already seen how Memphis struggled to topple an opponent like the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Golden State will pack the most star power in this matchup and with a boat-load of more experience on their side, the Warriors should be the favorites to win this battle.
More importantly, Kuminga will likely get a chance to dip his feet even deeper into the playoffs. With key Grizzlies such as Desmond Bande, Ja Morant, Jaren Jackson and Deanthony Melton only a few years older than Kuminga, the rookie will not be too far out of his league in this series.
Kuminga played fewer than 30 minutes altogether in round one, serving as a net negative in each game. Despite this, his energy off the bench was useful and his ability to act as an ariel threat next to Draymond Green is worth exploring in a more fast-paced environment against Memphis.
Particularly, I can imagine Kuminga being exactly the type of physical, athletic force needed to counter Memphis’ Brandon Clarke, a 6’8″ forward who averaged nearly 10 rebounds in round one.
It is unclear how much wiggle room Kuminga will receive in round two. It is possible he will remain confined to the bench. Yet, there is a possibility he makes a surprising impact as the frenetic, two-way threat the Golden State Warriors could be needing.