The Golden State Warriors, who have been dominating the league since acquiring Jimmy Butler at the trade deadline, added another dynamic piece to their lineup on Thursday night, according to Ron Kroichick of The San Francisco Chronicle.
Jonathan Kuminga, who had been sidelined since January 4 due to a lateral right ankle sprain, made an impressive return, scoring 18 points in just 20 minutes during a blowout win over the Sacramento Kings.
Kuminga’s return was met with a loud and enthusiastic ovation from the home crowd as he checked into the game midway through the first quarter.
Despite the two-month absence, he appeared to have little to no rust, shooting an efficient 7-of-10 from the field and ending his night with three consecutive dunks.
“We’re a lot more dangerous in transition with him,” Kevon Looney said. “Early in the year, that was one thing we wanted to be better at. Since he’s been out, I don’t think we’ve been as good and our identity changed a little bit.
“But you see it when he’s out there: We’re a totally different team in transition. He’s putting a lot of pressure on the rim, and when he does that (Stephen Curry) gets open shots, Buddy (Hield) gets open shots, Moses (Moody) gets open shots.”
Warriors Notes: Kuminga, Curry, Butler, Dunleavy https://t.co/Es7tesiHck pic.twitter.com/p8l1U7EAqJ
— Hoops Rumors (@HoopsRumors) March 14, 2025
