The Golden State Warriors now stand on the brink of playoff elimination after falling 110-117 to the Minnesota Timberwolves in Game 4, putting them in a daunting 3-1 hole.
With Stephen Curry sidelined by a hamstring injury, the Warriors must win Game 5 in Minnesota to keep their championship aspirations alive.
Despite the dire situation, forward Jonathan Kuminga revealed the team remains optimistic in the face of adversity.
“The mood is still very high. We’re keeping our hopes. We’re keeping our energy. Our vibes are still great. Because we always got to go, get that one.“
“I think everybody’s mindset is very good. Nobody’s down,” Kuminga shared after the Game 4 defeat.
The young forward emphasized the must-win nature of the upcoming contest: “The next game is going to be about do or die. If we get that one, everything can be settled down.”
Kuminga has stepped into a crucial role for Golden State during this series after receiving limited minutes in earlier playoff rounds.
The athletic forward led the Warriors with 23 points in Game 4, following his impressive 30-point performance in Game 3.
With Jimmy Butler struggling to carry the offensive load alone, Kuminga appears to have earned the trust of head coach Steve Kerr as a primary scoring option.
In a desperate attempt to find working combinations without Curry, Kerr deployed an unconventional non-point guard lineup in the third quarter of Game 4, featuring Kuminga, Butler, Draymond Green, Buddy Hield, and Trayce Jackson-Davis.
The experiment proved disastrous as the Warriors were outscored 17-39 in that pivotal period. However, Kuminga defended the lineup choice.
“I think Draymond was our point guard. He’s been a point guard his whole life. I didn’t see any problem. Feel like things were going well.”
The Warriors are getting ready for their next game, which could be their last, and that means Kerr needs to find ways to help Kuminga score more points as well as find their best lineup to keep the offense going.
