With Stephen Curry and Draymond Green sidelined amid a five-game losing streak, the Warriors were heavy underdogs against the Rockets (-3.5) on Thursday despite playing at home.
The onus was on Jonathan Kuminga to step up to the plate and prove why he’s a 22-year-old brimming with untapped potential. The fourth-year forward answered the bell, finishing with a career-high 33 points and seven rebounds to guide the Warriors to a 99-93 victory.
Kuminga — who has failed to find a consistent role in Steve Kerr’s team — seemed like he was trying to prove a point Thursday, attacking the rim with ferocity and finishing over two, sometimes three Rockets defenders. This mentality was typified in the dying seconds of the fourth quarter when he made a layup over the outstretched arms of Dillon Brooks and Fred VanVleet to put the Warriors up 96-93.
After the bucket, Kuminga let out a huge gasp, almost like he was letting go of pent-up frustrations. He was embraced by a hyped Curry and Green, who ran over from the bench to give him his flowers.
