SAN FRANCISCO — The Warriors face a tall task replacing Gary Payton II, who started both games of this semifinal in Memphis. Penciling in rookie Jonathan Kuminga into the starting lineup is the Warriors’ counter.
Kuminga, at age 19, is the youngest NBA player to start a playoff game since starting lineups were officially tracked in the 1970-71 season, according to ESPN Stats and Info. Kuminga’s minutes had been increasing during this series. After averaging six minutes in four games against the Denver Nuggets, Kuminga is averaging 15 minutes per game against the Grizzlies because he matches up well with Memphis’ athleticism.
“With guys like Clarke and Jackson Jr., they are super athletic along their front lines,” head coach Steve Kerr said before the game. “He’s had several plays where he’s played behind the defense in the dunker spot and got a couple of lobs from Draymond . He’s finished some plays for us. Memphis is a very good defensive team. They fly around and you need guys that can finish quickly and he’s one of them.
With the series evened 1-1, Memphis center Steven Adams is back in action from health and safety protocols but not starting. The Warriors decided to go with athleticism instead of size to begin Game 3 on Saturday at Chase Center. Here’s the lineup: