The Warriors are trying to extend their winning streak on this long six-game road trip, but they will be without one of their most important young players as they face the New Orleans Pelicans tonight. Jonathan Kuminga is out with bilateral knee patellar tendonitis, and De’Anthony Melton remains out as he continues recovering from ACL surgery.
The timing is tough. Kuminga has been one of Golden State’s best two-way players this year. He averages 13.8 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 2.8 assists per game, and has started 12 of the Warriors’ 14 games this season. and has had a good start to the season.
Even with those problems, the Warriors sit at 8-6 and eighth in the West. They’re coming off two crazy wins in San Antonio, where Stephen Curry took over both games with a 49-point performance and a 46-point performance.
New Orleans, meanwhile, is in trouble. The Pelicans are 2-10 and just fired Willie Green after one of the worst starts in franchise history. Their roster is thin. Jordan Poole and Dejounte Murray remain out, along with Trey Alexander and Hunter Dickinson. Zion Williamson is questionable with a hamstring strain. It’s the kind of matchup the Warriors are supposed to win.
That’s exactly why it’s dangerous. Two weeks ago, Golden State walked into Indiana expecting an easy win, and they were left stunned. This game has the same feel, and the Warriors will need to be cautious.
This one has the same feel, especially with Kuminga unavailable.
Without him, Steve Kerr will have to shift things around. The Pelicans can still score in bunches. Trey Murphy III dropped 35 on the Lakers not long ago. And if Zion plays, Golden State has to figure out how to slow him down without Kuminga’s physicality and length. That matchup alone changes the night.
Still, the Warriors should control this game if they bring the same focus they had in San Antonio. The key is avoiding a flat start. If they respect the matchup, move the ball, and stay sharp defensively, the road trip can move to 3-1 with momentum building. But Kuminga’s absence is a reminder that nothing on the road is automatic. Not in this league.
