"Brutal" - Warriors coach Steve Kerr shares honest feelings on Jonathan Kuminga's injury setback

Golden State Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga is set to miss at least three weeks due to a right ankle sprain. Following the setback, Warriors coach Steve Kerr reflected on the "brutal" news and how his squad can overcome its "most athletic scorer's" absence.

Kuminga suffered his injury with 2:27 remaining in the second quarter of Saturday's 121-113 home win over the Memphis Grizzlies. He landed awkwardly on his right ankle and checked out of the contest with a limp before being ruled out.

A day later, Kuminga underwent an MRI which confirmed that he sustained a "significant lateral ankle sprain" and "will be re-evaluated in three weeks."

Despite primarily coming off the bench, Kuminga (16.8 points per game) has been Golden State's second-leading scorer behind superstar point guard Steph Curry (22.3 ppg). His athletic finishing ability has helped diversify the team's offense, which relies heavily on 3-point shooting.

On Sunday, Kerr touched on how the loss of Kuminga will affect his squad, highlighting his unrivaled athleticism.

"Yeah, brutal," Kerr said. "JK's been playing so well, and obviously he's such a big part of what we're doing. He's our most athletic scorer (and) finisher, and he's been playing so well. So, it's a tough one."

However, Kerr added that he is confident in his second unit's ability to stay afloat with the fourth-year player sidelined.

"We do feel good about our depth and our ability to withstand his loss," Kerr said. "So, Kyle (Anderson), Moses (Moody), those guys will get more of an opportunity, and I'm excited about that."

The Warriors (18-16) enter Sunday sitting eighth in the deep Western Conference. Meanwhile, they rank second in the NBA in bench scoring (47.1 ppg), largely due to Kuminga's production.

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Jonathan Kuminga on difficulty of sustaining injury amid career-best production

Jonathan Kuminga's ankle injury came as he was seemingly beginning to break out. Ahead of Saturday's home win over Memphis, he tallied 20-plus points in four of his last six games, including consecutive career-high 34-point outings.

On Sunday, Kuminga, now sporting crutches, was asked about the unfortunate timing of his setback, underscoring his desire to help his team.

"I just don't want to be off. I want to be out there playing," Kuminga said. "I feel like our team is now taking off in the right direction, and I would just love to be out there."

The Jonathan Kuminga-less Warriors continue their six-game homestand on Sunday against the Sacramento Kings (16-19), looking to secure their third straight win.

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