"He really is cursed" - NBA fans react as Warriors fall to 0-7 in playoffs when $24,855,347 forward plays 20+ minutes

With Steph Curry sidelined early in Game 1 of the Western Conference semifinals against the Minnesota Timberwolves, the Golden State Warriors leaned heavily on Jonathan Kuminga for scoring. But the strategy did not lead to victories, as the Warriors dropped the next four games and were bounced from the playoffs.

StatMuse, a popular sports stats tracker on X (formerly Twitter), highlighted a unique stat on Wednesday: the Warriors didn’t win a single one of the seven games in which Kuminga logged over 20 minutes this postseason, spanning both the first round against Houston and the semifinals versus Minnesota.

Expand Tweet

The stat stunned fans, especially with Kuminga playing in the final year of his four-year, $24.8 million rookie contract with Golden State.

Explore the NBA Draft 2024 with our free NBA Mock Draft Simulator & be the GM of your favorite NBA team.

“He really is cursed 💀,” one fan said.

“Guy is garbage time stat padder has done it twice in dribble out time,” another said.

“I still don’t understand why they haven’t traded him, cause they surely aren’t developing him. Just trade the dude and get players that fit ffs,” another said.

Some defended Kuminga, arguing he wasn’t put in a fair position to succeed.

“This is where stats don’t tell the full story. Anyone who thinks different should not watch basketball,” one said.

“Cause they only give him a chance when he’s last option,” another said.

“If Kuminga didn’t play in any game they would’ve lost by 40,” another added.

Jonathan Kuminga reportedly ‘irked’ Warriors coaching staff

Jonathan Kuminga’s limited minutes under Steve Kerr have long frustrated the Warriors fanbase, and earlier this week, The Ringer’s Logan Murdock shed light on one reason why.

Expand Tweet

“Despite his talent, Kuminga’s propensity to look for his shot at the expense of the flow of Golden State’s offense has irked the coaching staff,” Murdock wrote.

Murdock, citing team sources, pointed to a late-season matchup against the Trail Blazers, where Kerr was furious with Kuminga for repeatedly ignoring Curry and opting to create his own shot.

Yet in Curry’s absence, Kuminga delivered solid numbers. He averaged 20.8 points, 3.0 rebounds and 1.2 assists in five games against Minnesota.

Still, many around the league believe a breakup between Kuminga and the Warriors may be on the horizon this offseason.

About the author

John Ezekiel Hirro is an experienced NBA and WNBA journalist at Sportskeeda, with over five years in the field as a news correspondent, sports writer, and Editor-in-Chief. His sports writing career began in high school, where he garnered numerous accolades, including being named the national sports writing champion in 2016.

He earned his journalism degree from the University of Santo Tomas in the Philippines in 2024 and served as the Editor-in-Chief of The Varsitarian, the university's official student publication, for four years—the longest in history.

A passionate basketball enthusiast, he became a fan of the OKC Thunder during the Russ-KD-Harden era. Russell Westbrook, his all-time favorite athlete, impressed him by stepping up as MVP after Kevin Durant's departure. His current favorite players include Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren, who he believes are the future of the OKC franchise.

He excels in game analysis and rapid news story turnaround, drawing inspiration from the journalistic styles of Woj and Shams. He emphasizes thorough research to ensure accuracy in his articles. One of his most memorable moments is Russell Westbrook breaking Oscar Robertson's record with his 42nd triple-double and securing a 106-105 victory over the Denver Nuggets with a buzzer-beating 3-pointer. Outside of writing, he enjoys listening to music and creating Spotify playlists.

Know More

Warriors Nation! You can check out the latest Golden State Warriors Schedule and dive into the Warriors Depth Chart for NBA Season 2024-25.

Edited by John Ezekiel Hirro