The Golden State Warriors want to forget the 2023-24 season. Although they were 10 games over .500 by the end of the season, the team fell flat in the play-in tournament and missed the NBA playoffs.
With franchise stalwart Klay Thompson jetting off for the Dallas Mavericks, it looked like the Warriors would be in a bit of a transition phase this season. But the team has started strong.
After a convincing win over the New Orleans Pelicans on Tuesday night, the team is now 3-1. What was most impressive about their recent win is that they were without Stephen Curry and Andrew Wiggins.
That forced other players into key roles, with Buddy Hield, Lindy Waters III, Brandin Podziemski, Moses Moody and Jonathan Kuminga all scoring 17 points or more. Kuminga’s game was perhaps the most intriguing. He came off the bench for the first time all season, but ended up playing the most minutes in a game so far.
Head coach Steve Kerr opted for a starting lineup that he believed would give the team “a little more spacing”. But in the process, he may have alienated Kuminga. Why? Because he benched him over text, Kuminga revealed to ESPN.
It wasn’t my decision. I got a text, this is how it’s going to go, this is who it’s going to be, and I went with it. What am I supposed to do… ask why am I not starting? This is the decision of the coach, and we will follow what he’s going to do. At the end of the day, I’m still a professional. I’m going to do what I’ve got to do.
It doesn’t sound like Kuminga was too thrilled about coming off of the bench, but it ended up working out in the Warriors’ favor, at least for one game.
