Fighting like hell to fend off the Houston Rockets for the final spot in the play-in tournament, the Golden State Warriors will have to make do on Wednesday without Jonathan Kuminga. The ascending third-year forward is listed as out against the Orlando Magic due to left knee soreness.
Steve Kerr told reporters during pregame media availability that Kuminga is sidelined in Orlando with knee tendinitis. Golden State’s hope is that consecutive rest days will have him ready to play on Friday night against the Charlotte Hornets.
“Tendinitis in his knee,” Kerr said of Kuminga, per Anthony Slater of The Athletic. “Hopefully giving him the night and tomorrow off (has him ready for Friday in Charlotte).”
Kuminga’s rise into a nightly impact player in January coincided with the Warriors’ much-needed midseason renaissance. He’s averaging 19.1 points, 5.3 rebounds and 2.9 assists on solid 58.8% true shooting since becoming entrenched as a starter on January 27th, a two-month stretch over which Golden State has gone 18-11 while registering a +4.8 net rating, tied with the Oklahoma City Thunder and Dallas Mavericks for sixth-best in basketball.
Wednesday’s game, the second half of a back-to-back for the Warriors following an impressive win over the shorthanded Miami Heat, marks just the second time Kuminga has been unavailable this season.
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