The Golden State Warriors’ final regular-season game ended in disappointment Sunday night as they fell 124-119 in overtime to the Los Angeles Clippers—a loss that cost them a top-six seed and forced them into the Play-In Tournament. Adding to the frustration, forward Jonathan Kuminga, despite being healthy, never saw the court, leaving fans questioning head coach Steve Kerr’s decision in a must-win game.
Despite a strong performance from Steph Curry (36 points, playing through a thumb injury) and Jimmy Butler (30 points), the Warriors couldn’t hold off the Clippers. The loss dropped Golden State to the Play-In, where they’ll face the Memphis Grizzlies, while the Clippers secured the Western Conference’s fifth seed.
After the game, Kerr addressed the decision to keep Kuminga sidelined. “Since Jimmy [Butler] arrived, we’ve settled into a rotation we’re comfortable with,” Kerr told reporters (via KNBR). “Both [Gui Santos] and JK have been impactful, but this was just how tonight played out. I told him before the game we might adjust the rotation, but I didn’t rule him out entirely—I wasn’t sure if he’d play.”
Throughout the game, Kuminga remained active, staying warm on a stationary bike in the tunnel. Yet Kerr opted for Gary Payton II (25 minutes), Quinten Post, Kevon Looney, and Buddy Hield off the bench, with Payton playing a key role in crunch time.
With the Play-In matchup against Memphis looming, it’s unclear whether Kuminga will see the floor. But after this puzzling snub, his role in the Warriors’ immediate future appears uncertain.
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