Blue Man Hoop
Fansided

Steve Kerr’s rotation minutes leaves Golden State Warriors’ fans frustrated

By Peter O'Keefe

OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLAHOMA - JANUARY 30: Jonathan Kuminga #00 of the Golden State Warriors defends Shai Gilgeous-Alexander #2 of the Oklahoma City Thunder during the third quarter at Paycom Center on January 30, 2023 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ian Maule/Getty Images)
OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLAHOMA - JANUARY 30: Jonathan Kuminga #00 of the Golden State Warriors defends Shai Gilgeous-Alexander #2 of the Oklahoma City Thunder during the third quarter at Paycom Center on January 30, 2023 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ian Maule/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit

The Golden State Warriors earned an important victory on Monday, staving off a massive comeback from the Oklahoma City Thunder to record their third-straight win.

It was a near flawless opening period from the reigning champions, however a 21-point third-quarter lead was cut to two on multiple occasions in the final period. It left heart in mouth moments for fans who’ve seen their team collapse in multiple road games already this season. Yet that wasn’t the only frustrating aspect for Dubnation, with Steve Kerr’s rotation again put under the microscope.

Limited minutes for Jonathan Kuminga left some fans frustrated and bewildered during the Golden State Warriors’ 128-120 win.

Since returning from an ankle injury on January 20th in Cleveland, Jonathan Kuminga had played at least 23 minutes in four-straight games. The last two outings were in the absence of Andrew Wiggins, and the 20-year-old even got the start against Memphis last Tuesday.

However, the Canadian’s return from illness against the Thunder signified a reduction in role for Kuminga. He played just 12 minutes as Steve Kerr ran with a clear top seven in the rotation, not that it impressed some Warrior fans on twitter.

Kerr did give Kuminga the primary role guarding Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander when the second-year forward was on the floor. He had a number of excellent defensive possessions in the opening period, proving a major factor in Gilgeous-Alexander going just 1-for-8 from the field in the first 12 minutes.

The shifty OKC guard had his revenge late in the third-quarter though, scoring ten points in just over four minutes with Kuminga on the floor. That included drawing three shooting fouls on the former number seven overall pick, two of which were three-point plays. In defense of Kuminga, he made two tough shots over the contesting arm of Gilgeous-Alexander in the same timeframe.

Kuminga should be getting 20 minutes per game given his form over recent months, but it seems Kerr isn’t quite at that point yet. He wasn’t the only one to suffer a reduced role in Wiggins’ return, with veteran JaMychal Green completely cut from the nine-man rotation.

Each of the five starters, including Wiggins, played at least 30 minutes. Donte DiVincenzo played just over 26 minutes and Kevon Looney 22 minutes, while Kuminga and Anthony Lamb played a little over 12 and 11 minutes respectively.

Next. Golden State Warriors’ Jonathan Kuminga drawing statistical comparisons to All-Time Greats. dark

With Moses Moody and Patrick Baldwin Jr. recalled from the G League, Golden State had a full complement of players minus Andre Iguodala, rookie Ryan Rollins and the unactivated Ty Jerome. Kerr’s decision to continue with a nine-man rotation, including heavy minutes for the top seven, shows the urgency the 26-24 Warriors now have in ensuring they rise up the Western Conference standings.

Home/Warriors News