The Atlanta Hawks are perfect so far when Jonathan Kuminga takes the floor.
Atlanta cruised past the Washington Wizards in a 119-98 victory on Tuesday at State Farm Arena to improve to 29-31 as it battles for positioning in the Eastern Conference play-in tournament picture.
The biggest storyline was Kuminga’s Hawks debut after he was acquired from the Golden State Warriors via trade.
While he was previously sidelined with a bone bruise in his left knee, the forward returned to the court for the first time since Jan. 22 and thrived on his way to a season-high 27 points, seven rebounds, four assists and two steals on 9-of-12 shooting from the field and 3-of-4 shooting from deep.
His performance drew plenty of reaction from social media:
This was just Kuminga’s third game since Dec. 18 thanks to his injury and the inconsistent playing time he received during his time with the Warriors. He was in and out of the lineup, and there was plenty of speculation about whether he would be traded before Golden State finally moved him to Atlanta in deal that included Kristaps Porziņģis heading to the Bay Area.
If Tuesday was any indication, the trade is going to be a welcome one for the Hawks.
Kuminga didn’t start but wasted no time providing a spark off the bench as the home team cruised to a 17-point halftime lead. He hit a three-pointer, facilitated when defenders collapsed on him and battled for the boards in that first half.
What’s more, he looked far more comfortable than he did for stretches on the Warriors where he was often an awkward fit with a veteran-laden team in championship mode.
Halftime did nothing to cool him off, as Kuminga helped the Hawks break things open with his outside shooting and ability to get into the lane and to the free-throw line. He also played a larger role than perhaps expected heading into the game, as Jalen Johnson was ruled out with a left hip flexor and didn’t play in the second half.
The Hawks have some talented pieces with Johnson, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, CJ McCollum and Onyeka Okongwu, among others, and could be a dangerous lower seed in the Eastern Conference playoff picture.
If Kuminga consistently plays like he did in his debut with the team, it would significantly elevate the overall ceiling in Atlanta.
Consistency has been an issue at times during his career, but he will have a chance to string together two impressive games in a row against the same opponent when the Hawks host the Wizards again on Thursday.