SAN FRANCISCO (AP) – Jonathan Kuminga is earning more minutes for his defence, and he showed everybody the big strides he has made as a stopper with veteran Andre Iguodala as his guide and mentor.
Klay Thompson scored 29 points and Kuminga delivered on both ends down the stretch, including a gutsy steal that helped the Golden State Warriors hold off the Charlotte Hornets late for a 110-105 win yesterday.
Kuminga cherishes getting a chance with the game on the line late, which isn’t always the case.
“If Coach trusts you and puts you in there, you’ve got to go and execute things and make things happen,” said Kuminga, a second-year forward.
In one flashy sequence, Kuminga had a steal on one possession and then a defensive rebound and go-ahead dunk moments later on the other end.
He made a short floating jumper from the baseline with 1:22 to go, and then dunked again with 21 seconds left. He finished with 14 points and five rebounds.
“He’s playing really well defensively,” coach Steve Kerr said. “Just wanted to stay with him because of the impact he was making on the ball and with his energy.”
Jordan Poole had 24 points and six assists for Golden State. Kevon Looney finished with 11 points and nine rebounds. Thompson went five for 12 from three-point range and also had five rebounds and four assists.
LaMelo Bell overcame seven-of-25 shooting – two for 11 from deep – to finish with 21 points and 10 rebounds as Charlotte completed the second game of a back-to-back after losing 124-113 at Portland on Monday.
Terry Rozier scored 19 points and Mason Plumlee grabbed 13 rebounds for the Hornets, who went 2-4 on a six-game West Coast road swing.
The backcourt of Thompson and Poole delivered with Stephen Curry sitting out a sixth straight game with a partially dislocated left shoulder on a night when his father, Dell, was in town working the Hornets broadcast.
Golden State’s Draymond Green contributed nine points, 10 rebounds and five assists while dealing with right foot soreness.
