Steve Kerr blown away by Warriors' $24,855,347 star's performance in Game 3: "Played one of the best games of his life"

Golden State Warriors ace Stephen Curry's absence due to a hamstring injury has led to reserve players witnessing a significant increase in playing time. Coach Steve Kerr has particularly displayed his trust in Jonathan Kuminga - a decision that has paid off for the Warriors.

Kuminga came off the bench and erupted for a 30-point performance in Game 3 on Saturday, stuffing the stat sheet with six rebounds, three assists and two blocks on Saturday. Despite the Warriors losing 102-97, Kerr was pleased with the 22-year-old’s heroic effort in the Western Conference semifinals against the Minnesota Timberwolves.

“Played one of the best games of his life. It was fantastic to see,” Steve Kerr spoke about Jonathan Kuminga’s performance. “You can see how necessary he is in this matchup. … Just been impressed how he’s handled things the last couple weeks with the way he stayed ready. … and it paid off tonight.”

JK, who's in the final year of a $24,855,347 rookie contract, also had a strong impact in Game 2 - leading the Warriors with 18 points in 26 minutes.

Steve Kerr’s confidence in Kuminga is expected to grow following such impressive performances. Even when Curry returns to the lineup, Kuminga could have a crucial role in the Warriors' rotation for the remainder of the postseason.

---

Amid Warriors coach Steve Kerr’s decision, Jonathan Kuminga frustrated with “stay ready” narrative

Jonathan Kuminga has been left out of the lineup in numerous crucial games this season. Although he has been healthy since mid-March, the forward didn't see any action in the regular-season finale against the LA Clippers.

The trend continued early in the postseason. Kerr benched Kuminga for the play-in contest against the Memphis Grizzlies and Game 1 of the opening-round series against the Houston Rockets. Kuminga was eventually played only after Jimmy Butler injured his tailbone in Game 2.

Making the most of his opportunity, Kuminga logged 26 minutes and scored 11 points. After the game, though, he expressed his frustration with the repeated advice to “stay ready.”

"I hate the fact that people are telling me to be ready," Kuminga said after Game 2. "In my mind, I already know that I'm ready. The more you tell me to get ready, it's kinda irritating."

In the ongoing playoffs, Kuminga is averaging 12.2 points, 2.8 rebounds and 1.5 assists. With Stephen Curry set to miss more games, Kuminga is expected to take on a larger role and potentially see a further rise in his numbers.