Warriors' Kuminga responds to Kerr criticism by starring off bench

SAN FRANCISCO -- After burying a 3-pointer in the fourth quarter Monday night againstIndiana, Golden State forward Jonathan Kuminga single-handedly kept the nextWarriorsoffensive possession alive by grabbing two offensive rebounds and missing a tip around twoPacersat the rim before being fouled.

Teammate Stephen Curry immediately applauded the extra effort. This is the Kuminga the Warriors and coach Steve Kerr say they need to break out of their slump and contend. After Kerr delivered his most pointed criticism of Kuminga's decision-making and shot selection of late, the Warriors' top prospect responded with one of his best and most aggressive games of the season.

Kuminga made 9 of 16 shots and scored a game-high 26 points to go with 8 rebounds and 4 assists. While it wasn't enough to keep Golden State from losing 111-105 at Chase Center, Kuminga played like the force at the rim and the kind of secondary scorer Curry and the Warriors need.

"This is the JK we want," Kerr said after Golden State lost for the 10th time in 13 games. "Spent a lot of time in the paint, took care of the ball. Had a couple really nice passes. FoundBuddy [Hield]for 3 on a beautiful play and really attacked. So this is a great example of how JK needs to play. I'm really proud of him for coming out, playing that way. ... He's getting better, and it's fun to watch his development."

Following the Warriors' 113-103 win atMinnesotaon Saturday, Kerr ended his postgame news conference by emphasizing that the coaching staff has been trying to get the young players to understand that the Warriors "don't need contested 17-footers with 12 on the shot clock," and that with Curry, young players need to move the ball for a better shot.

Just over two weeks ago, Kerr said Kuminga would be his starting power forward because it was time to maximize the fourth-year forward's potential. Draymond Green also said he was willing to accept coming off the bench because the franchise needed to see what Kuminga can do as someone it views as a future star.

But after starting six games, Kuminga returned to a bench role the past three games. Kerr said he realized after a 143-133 loss toDallason Dec. 15 that he needed his team to set a better defensive tone from the start and that would mean starting Green at power forward with Kevon Looney at center.

Kuminga shot just 5-of-23 combined from the field and scored a total of 22 points coming off the bench in the previous two games atMemphisand Minnesota.

Before Monday's game, Kerr was asked about his comments and whether they were directed at Kuminga. While he said he spoke to Kuminga and Brandin Podziemski about the shot selection and decision-making, he also said he is trying to coach Kuminga to make better decisions.

"He's elite at the rim, he's elite getting fouled, so we want him attacking the rim," Kerr said pregame. "There's a time and place for every shot, and so if it's the middle of the shot clock, it's not a great shot. If it's end of the shot clock and we've been trying to get a better shot and nothing's there, he's one of the few guys who's capable of creating an open look for himself.

"We're working with our guys, we're working with JK. I think he's got so much potential and he's shown a lot since he's been here. He has gotten a lot better, but I got to keep coaching him. The last two games, his field goal attempts, his decision-making has been poor, and that needs to improve."

Kuminga, the No. 7 pick in the 2021 draft, says he is mentally stronger in his fourth season and equipped to handle the shuffling in and out of the starting lineup.

"Sometimes I start, sometimes I don't start," Kuminga said. "Don't really affect me. [At] this point in my career, I can't put my head down and not go out there and play hard or try to be effective. I just go out there and do my job because I can't even worry about things like that. The more you worry about things like that, the more you fail."

"I'm used to it," Kuminga added of starting and not starting. "From where I come from, you always got to be mentally tough. A lot of people that are playing ... if they were in my shoes, they'll quit basketball. They'll need a therapist. They'll go through a lot of mental situations. But that thing don't affect me. As long as I go out here every day and just play, be with my teammates, [they] keep encouraging me to be who I am every day."

The Warriors are desperately trying to regain the groove that helped them open the season 12-3. They have lost 10 of their past 13 games as they head into a Christmas Day showdown with LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers.

Golden State would love to have Kuminga play just like he did Monday.

"I mean, he was probably the best player out there in the sense of attacking, being decisive," said Curry, who missed 11 of 13 shots and finished with 10 points, 7 assists and 5 rebounds. "Anytime you're decisive and aggressive, you live with mistakes. But playing in the flow of the offense, taking what the defense gives you, you saw him get into the paint, get a couple extra possessions for us, he knocked down his open 3s, was getting downhill, putting pressure on the rim, doing things that only he can do really on our team.

"We love energetic, confident JK. He can change the game for us like he did, and stringing a couple of those games together will hopefully raise our level of play and give us a chance to win any given night."br/]