Kurtenbach
finished lower than the No. 3 seed since Steve Kerr took over the team in 2014-15 — in some ways, this team is better equipped for this season's playoffs than last year's.
Curry, Thompson, Green, and Kevon Looney didn't need any more experience, but the value of last year's title run cannot be quantified for Andrew Wiggins, Gary Payton II, and the Warriors' young players.
They have now seen some stuff too, and when the stakes are highest — and they might be that way right out of the gate — they stand a better chance of acquitting themselves well.
For a player like Jonathan Kuminga, the experience of winning a title last season, paired with his development this past regular season, could make him the breakout star of this postseason.
The Warriors will be leaning on Kuminga in these upcoming playoffs. Injuries and absences might have thrust him into more minutes after the AllStar break, but he validated those minutes with outstanding defense and sharp offensive play.
Now that the Warriors are at something close to full health, don't expect Kuminga's role to be diminished.
Particularly against the Kings, Kuminga's athleticism and defensive versatility could prove critical to winning the series. Sacramento plays fast and puts five players on the perimeter on nearly every possession. The Warriors' one true center, Looney, could have trouble matching up with Kings center Domantas Sabonis, who can score and distribute at all three levels.
And while the Warriors would ideally have Green shadowing Sabonis, they'll need a backup plan, too. In the last few months, Kuminga has become that backup plan. An excellent one, at that.
“His on-ball defense has really taken a leap. He's really a guy we lean on to guard the bigger wings in the league — the tougher matchups,” Kerr said.
Sabonis, a rare kind of big man, would certainly fall into that camp. If the Warriors advance, Jaren Jackson Jr., Anthony Davis, or even LeBron James, would qualify as similar matchups.
Looking further down the road, the Warriors could face Kevin Durant and perhaps Giannis Antetokounmpo.
There are few — if any players — in the NBA that can guard those stars. They're too big. Too skilled.
Wiggins stands a chance, though he's more of a perimeter player. Green can do it, but he uses his smarts to do the job. Kuminga is one of the few players with the size and top-end athleticism to match up with the NBA's best.
And his smarts are catching up to his physical abilities.
“He's just started to understand the nuances of guarding the best players, understanding their tricks,” Kerr said of Kuminga. “His rookie year, you knew he was going to get called for a foul because he would just be slightly out of position, and his opponent would take advantage of that.
Now he understands what's happening before his opponent can draw that foul.”
Kuminga is also playing at the speed of the Warriors' game on offense.
Since he saw his playing time increase after the AllStar Game (coinciding with Andrew Wiggins' absence), Kuminga has averaged 13 points per game in 24 minutes per contest. Critically, he's shooting 44 percent from beyond the arc on 2.5 3-point attempts per game.
Teams are leaving him open on the perimeter, and he's making them pay. And not just with the 3-point shot. He also can put the ball on the floor and keep the Warriors' offense moving or simply take off from anywhere inside the freethrow line for a thunderous slam.
Kuminga's dunks are not just for show. Basketball is a game of momentum, and nothing swings momentum the Warriors' way quite like a big, in-your-face Kuminga dunk.
In the playoffs, where every possession matters, those dunks can swing games. We saw Wiggins turn two with big dunks in last year's title run.
And while Curry was the star of the show last postseason, Wiggins was a close second.
This season, at only 20 years old, Kuminga could join that group.
He knows what it takes to win in the playoffs. No one can match his physical gifts — not even Wiggins. And he found his game in the weeks heading into the postseason.