Kuminga: Steph, Draymond trusted me to close out win vs. Rockets
Golden State Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga put together a career night Thursday to beat the Houston Rockets with Stephen Curry and Draymond Green sidelined with injuries to end the Dubs' five-game losing skid.
Kuminga finished the game with a career-high 33 points, seven rebounds, and two assists while splashing in three 3-pointers. He scored 14 points in the fourth quarter alone, including a clutch layup with 16.9 seconds remaining to earn his career high and seal the Warriors' victory, exciting Curry and Green.
Here’s the Jonathan Kuminga layup to seal it. Milked clock, got the switch onto VanVleet, attacked quickly and finished with power before Brooks could recover. pic.twitter.com/Bicz0jr1xC
— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) December 6, 2024
"I feel ready. I always work hard. I always learn from my elders, Steph and Draymond," Kuminga told reporters postgame, per 95.7 The Game. "There's gonna be moments where I'm gonna be the one in those situations, so I just learn from those guys and go about my day."
Kuminga continued, "They wanted me to go out there and get the ball ... They trusted me. That kind of boosted me. Kinda helped me just be confident. I took a deep breath, and I went out there and took care of the ball."
It was the 22-year-old's first time scoring 30-plus this campaign. Andrew Wiggins also had a solid game, contributing 23 points despite battling an ankle injury. They were the only two Warriors to score double-digits. Wiggins praised Kuminga's versatility after the victory.
"No one can stop him getting to the rim," Wiggins said. "He's too strong. Too athletic. Too quick. Too versatile. When he plays like that, he's amazing. I know this is just the beginning for him."
The duo created a new look in clutch time for Golden State without its superstar.
"I think that's going to be part of our evolution as a team," Warriors center Kevon Looney said. "(Kuminga) and Wiggs stepping up to be able to score for us in the fourth quarter and not just depending on Steph the whole time."
Kuminga is now averaging 14.8 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 1.8 assists on the season.
Curry missed his fifth game of the year due to bilateral knee management, while Green sat out his second straight contest with calf tightness. The Warriors will look to win their second straight Friday versus the Minnesota Timberwolves.