Jonathan Kuminga delivered one of the defining bench performances of the night as the Atlanta Hawks edged the New York Knicks 109-108 in Game 3 of their first-round series at State Farm Arena on Thursday.
After the game, Kuminga emphasized patience in his development since joining the rotation, saying, “Things take time. Everything takes time. Not just going to come out of nowhere and be perfect off the gate.”
He detailed the process behind his rise, pointing to repetition and team chemistry. “A lot of practices with the guys, creating that bond with the guys, spending a lot of time learning from the coaches, from my teammates,” he said.
Kuminga’s offensive impact continued in the fourth quarter, where he helped Atlanta maintain control. He explained the approach against Karl-Anthony Towns and the Knicks’ front line.
“I think we just got to do anything to help us win. We got to get anything done by any means,” Kuminga said. “It’s not just about Karl, but just being present, fighting every moment.”
On a chaotic late defensive sequence that included rotations and a loose-ball scramble, he highlighted communication and composure.
“I think every position as much as we can just coming together and staying poised,” he said. “On that timeout we spoke, we came together and we all said we just need one stop, by any means necessary we got to all come together.”
The forward also acknowledged the crowd’s energy, noting how the atmosphere helped sustain momentum during key runs.
“It was great. Our fans were great tonight,” Kuminga said. “Big moments, anytime they’re with us, I feel like they give us that juice.”
He expanded on his role within Quin Snyder’s system, stressing sacrifice over individual production.
“I’m very comfortable sacrificing for whoever and whenever and however,” he said. “As long as I go out there and help us win, just be a winner.”
Kuminga also described a late-game steal attempt, referencing instinctive habits learned from veteran influence.
“It’s just instinct,” he said. “I’m going to give my praise to Draymond… I’ve seen him do that so many times.”
He added that teammate Dyson Daniels’ two-way presence has been critical to the group’s balance. “He does a lot of things that don’t go on the sheet,” Kuminga said. “He helps us a lot.”
A brief on-court exchange with Mitchell Robinson was also addressed. “It’s just part of the game,” he said. “There’s a lot of emotion going on.”
Looking ahead to Game 4, Kuminga pointed to execution under pressure as the key adjustment.
“Just our execution in moments where the crowd is involved,” he said. “It’s going to be another dog fight.”
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