Jonathan

Kuminga

The Hawks’ most efficient scorer came off the bench on Thursday. Kuminga, acquired by Atlanta ahead of February’s trade deadline, showcased his big-game experience, finishing as one of three Hawks players to score 20 or more points in Game 3. Kuminga is averaging 20.0 points on 16-of-26 shooting in Atlanta’s two wins this series, compared to 8.0 points on 3-of-7 shooting in losses. He’ll have a chance to remain impactful in Saturday’s fourth game of the series.

Kuminga’s play in Game 2 was one of the underlying reasons why the Hawks came back to even the series. The Hawks’ forward shot 6-of-8 from inside the arc, and his defensive ability allowed Atlanta to keep Dyson Daniels (6/4/2/2/1) on the bench in crunch time. As a result, there was no one on the court the Knicks could hide Jalen Brunson or Karl-Anthony Towns on defensively, which factored into CJ McCollum taking over late. Kuminga played 35 minutes on Monday, and that may also be the case for Game 3 on Thursday.

Kuminga and Vincent join the long list of Hawks who won’t be available for Sunday’s regular-season finale. Given the absences, this should be a spot where Buddy Hield figures prominently in the rotation, possibly as a starter.

Okongwu and Kuminga sitting out Sunday’s regular-season finale would free up rotation minutes for multiple players. That includes Zaccharie Risacher, whose playing time has decreased with Kuminga in the fold, Asa Newell and Mouhamed Gueye.

Johnson and McCollum may sit out Sunday’s regular-season finale, as the Hawks can finish no worse than sixth in the Eastern Conference standings, even with a loss. If available, Jonathan Kuminga is one player who may take on a heavier workload on Sunday, which makes him an intriguing option in active fantasy leagues.

After playing seven minutes in Monday’s loss to the Knicks, the first overall pick in the 2024 draft did not play at all on Wednesday. Jonathan Kuminga has seemingly absorbed the minutes that once went to Risacher. Logging 30 minutes, Kuminga finished with 24 points (11-of-20 FGs, 0-of-1 FTs), six rebounds, three assists and two three-pointers. An afterthought in fantasy basketball since the All-Star break, it’s fair to wonder about Risacher’s future in Atlanta, especially if he racks up more DNP-CDs during the postseason.

After scoring 20 points or more in two of his first three games as a Hawk, Kuminga entered Wednesday having scored 16 or fewer in each of his last 11 appearances. Injuries have been a factor, but the former Warriors lottery pick has also battled inconsistency. Kuminga’s performance against the Cavaliers was a glimpse of what he’s capable of when locked in, and the Hawks will need to see that version consistently during the postseason.

Double-doubles have become the norm for Johnson, who recorded another on Friday. The Hawks’ star forward logged 28 minutes against the Nets, with Jonathan Kuminga (12/2/1/1/1 with three three-pointers) playing 21 as the backup. With Jock Landale (ankle) out for at least two weeks, this is the setup the Hawks will go with for the foreseeable future. Atlanta won’t play again in Week 23; their next game is scheduled for Monday against the Knicks.

Kuminga is available after sitting out Saturday’s win over the Kings. He’ll provide additional depth off the bench, but that has not been enough to affect fantasy basketball on most nights.

Kuminga has not reached the point where he can play both games of back-to-backs, so he’ll sit after logging 18 minutes off the bench in Friday’s loss to the Celtics. Mouhamed Gueye, who played 10 minutes, may see his playing time increase, but that is not enough to make him a factor in fantasy basketball.