LOS ANGELES — Stephen Curry, no stranger to tension, felt the pressure of his final 3-pointer of the night.
The shot’s added weight wasn’t so much about the 50 seconds-or-so remaining over, the Warriors’ once-17-point-lead precariously down to seven. This wasn’t Curry thirsting for a moment, hoping to compensate for a mediocre shooting performance by his standards. He created a moment nonetheless.
His 36-footer, with Lakers guard Gabe Vincent in his face, tickled the heels of the basketball gods before dropping through. Curry’s 3 crumbled the masterpiece Luka Dončić erected Tuesday night — 43 points, 12 rebounds, nine assists — and with it the Lakers.
And it was made possible by the offensive rebound that happened before it.
STEPH. SPLASH.
Curry from DEEP late in Los Angeles 😱 pic.twitter.com/mBZb3CnnbC
— NBA (@NBA) October 22, 2025
Jonathan Kuminga soared across the lane for an offensive rebound, scaling Lakers’ 7-foot center DeAndre Ayton and his 7-foot-6 wingspan. Two passes later, Curry’s dagger finished the Lakers, handing the hosts a 119-109 defeat as LeBron James watched from the bench in street clothes.
“It was just one of my goals coming into this year,” Kuminga said, “just trying to be on the boards as much as I can. And guarding the best players. The main thing moving forward is just getting better and doing that every day. When my shots are not falling, just find a way to impact the game. Doing the small things that matter. I’m gonna have my moment when they’re gonna need me to go out and score.”
Kuminga, who harbors All-Star expectations and sees himself as an elite NBA scorer, did a small thing. And it was big. He used his exceptional athleticism and youthful vigor to crash the boards and steal Golden State an extra possession. It was the kind of play that makes his head coach all warm and fuzzy inside. The kind of winning play the Warriors prefer he’d prioritize over the conviction of his scoring prowess.
So Curry really wanted to make that dagger 3. Had to make it. Yes, to win, and in the process, remind the world of his persistent greatness. But also to highlight Kuminga.
“Lot of pressure on that shot,” Curry said. “Make sure you guys talk about the things that matter.”
What mattered: Kuminga started the game and was on the floor for the final stretches. He played 33 minutes. The most he’d ever played in a season-opener was 20 minutes in 2023.
What mattered: Kuminga has bought in, doing all the little things the Warriors crave. Rebounding. Running the floor hard. Focusing on defense. Making quick decisions when he has the ball. Attacking. He also scored 17 points to go with his nine rebounds and six assists.
What mattered: Curry needs all of it.
“It’s fun when you get to do it and you see the results,” Curry said. “Obviously, he’s going to get the opportunity. That’s what he deserves and I’m excited for him.”
Reminder: this was Game 1 of 82.
Yet, the importance of this start to the season can’t be understated, especially when compared with the alternatives. Such as coach Steve Kerr leaving him out of the rotation. Or Kuminga playing and wilting under the expectation that comes with his new contract and his tumultuous negotiations.
Kuminga has been at the center of Warriors’ drama since April. First, he was benched in the postseason. Then, after Curry tore his hamstring in Game 1 of the second-round series against Minnesota, Kuminga shined. Given the space to go to work offensively, he produced numbers worthy of his belief in his own stardom. It fueled the speculation about his free agency. His offseason began with him searching for a team to acquire him in a trade and, after failing to do so, ended with drawn-out negotiations on a new deal with Golden State.
Kuminga signed a two-year, $48.5 million contract with the Warriors that featured a team option. Not signing a long-term deal only fueled speculation he would be traded by the Feb. 5 deadline. This saga will continue until Kuminga’s ultimate destination can be resolved.
But what if that’s with the Warriors? Kuminga’s performance gave credence to the possibility.
Tuesday was an exhibit of compromise. Kuminga did the things the coaching staff wanted. The coaching staff rewarded him with minutes and freedom.
“Just trying to catch a rhythm and staying positive,” Kuminga said. “Some people won’t. Some people would be nervous. But I have no other option but being positive and letting the game come to you. I feel like none of my shots I took were bad, at all. And I think that’s the biggest thing I’m trying to control this year. Don’t hunt for shots and make sure every shot I take is under control and they are shots I’ve worked on.”
Kuminga missed five of his first six shots in the first half and committed two turnovers. But it didn’t land him on the bench — in part because fellow forward Moses Moody is out with an injury. Kuminga got the time to work through his early struggles. He earned the time with his defense on Dončić, his attention to detail and his willingness to play in the flow.
In the second half, he got rolling. The Warriors took control of the game in the third quarter in part because Kuminga scored 13 points on 5-for-5 shooting, including three from behind the arc.
When Curry checked back in with 7:50 left in the fourth quarter, Kuminga was with him. And he didn’t come out.
“I think he’s really, really matured,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr said. “He’s had a great camp. We’ve had some really good conversations. I think he has a better understanding of what we need.
“I think he just has a better sense of what’s needed now compared to past years, and I think Jimmy (Butler) has really helped him, too. Jimmy has talked to him a lot during camp, he’s taken him aside after practices.”
The important part, which Curry can’t help but notice, is how Kuminga complements him, when he’s bought in.
At halftime, Kerr talked to the team about taking advantage of Curry’s gravity. Instead of him standing on the weak side, where the Lakers are happy to keep him, the Warriors made sure Curry was in the action. Kuminga set a screen for Curry and slipped inside, getting a layup out of it. He set a screen as Curry curled to the top. When the defense went with Curry, Kuminga was all alone for a 3. He drilled it.
Kuminga is uniquely positioned to attack the open spaces Curry creates. And if he is better at maximizing his minutes with Curry, and filling the stat sheet like he did Tuesday, he’s going to be harder to keep off the floor.
“We’ve always said he does something that nobody else in this locker room can do,” Curry said, “and not many people in the league can do. … He’s another guy off the dribble who can attack driving angles and lanes, and get to the line. Today, he was finishing good possessions, spotting up, catch and shoot.”
This is the version of Kuminga that seduces those in the organization who still want to keep him. The truth is, the better he plays, the higher the Warriors would demand in a trade, making it harder to part with him. This is the cycle we’ve seen.
But it’s been a difficult relationship that at times feels irreparable. He’s been a model Warrior since inking the deal. But that doesn’t necessarily mean he wants to stay here long term. This could still be headed where most expect this to head.
Curry, as the leader of the Warriors locker room, set an edict early that once Kuminga’s contract was done, the focus would shift exclusively to winning. Curry said he’s been impressed with the focus of the team so far and praised Kuminga’s attitude and approach.
But the matchups will change. The opportunities will vary. The days will come when Kuminga won’t look this good.
“That’s our challenge,” Curry said. “I say our for a reason. … It’s a frickin’ marathon. We’ve got to remember what all goes into a season.”
Reminder: it’s Game 1 of 82.
