The key player that the Warriors need at 100% in the playoffs

The rollercoaster ride of the Golden State Warriors continues. Since acquiring Jimmy Butler from the Miami Heat at the NBA trade deadline, they have a record of 18-4 when the six-time All-Star takes the court. A team that was 25-25 on February 6, their arrival has coincided with a noticeable shift. It was long known that the forward would benefit from his versatile play and playoff performance. However, his interior gravity and free-throw shooting ability have also generated excitement.

The big question was what the team would look like when Jonathan Kuminga returned. This season, before his injury, he was shooting over 40% from three-point range. However, like Butler, he prefers to do damage inside the perimeter. In theory, having Kuminga and Butler on the court at the same time would compromise spacing. Even playing small with Draymond Green as center is not a great solution, his reputation as a mediocre 3-point shooter precedes him.

Kuminga has played nine games since returning from his ankle injury. In that span, the Warriors have gone 6-3. But there is a caveat. They were only 5-3 in the game last Sunday against the San Antonio Spurs. They ended up winning by 42 points. However, Kuminga only played six and a half minutes during the game after feeling discomfort in his right ankle. As noted by Anthony Slater of The Athletic, it is the same ankle he injured in early January.

Comparing Kuminga to Butler

Taking this into account, the Warriors might be taking precautionary measures. Still, it is an injury worth monitoring throughout the season. For multiple reasons, the Golden State fanbase remains eager for the development of the 22-year-old player. However, teammates like Green have publicly supported Kuminga, believing he is an important piece of their championship puzzle. At this point, the Warriors are now sixth in the Western Conference standings, with 43-31 points. With eight games remaining, they have not secured a playoff berth yet.

Kuminga had a -45 in the eight games prior to the Sunday game against the San Antonio Spurs. He has only made 3 of 19 (15.8%) from the 3-point line. Yet, they are a better team with him than without him. In the eight games before Sunday's, he averaged 14.3 points, 2.8 assists, and 0.9 steals in 23.4 minutes per game. He scored 15 field goals, more than Butler (12), and averaged 45.5% from the field on those attempts. He converted 58.3% of his shots in the paint, also more than Butler (52.2). Like Butler, he made 50% of his shots from the post. On the defensive end, Butler allowed more than double the field goals (20) compared to Kuminga (9).

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, El jugador clave que los Warriors necesitan al 100% en los playoffs