Atlanta Hawks forward learned a lot from Golden State Warriors legend Draymond Green.
After the Atlanta Hawks beat the New York Knicks in Game 3 of their first-round series, Jonathan Kuminga credited a former teammate for helping him become a strong defender.
Kuminga thanked Golden State Warriors wing Draymond Green, one of the greatest defenders in NBA history.
The Hawks have won the last two games against the Knicks in crunch time by getting stops.
In Game 3, Kuminga came off the bench to score 21 points and made a steal that denied Jalen Brunson a potential game-winning shot on New York's final possession.
"We all came together and knew we needed just one stop," Kuminga said. "You've got to sacrifice out there and make a play. ... It takes time to create that bond with the guys. I'm learning from the coach and some of those things carried up to this moment."
Kuminga won the 2022 championship with the Warriors against the Boston Celtics. He's the only player on the Hawks to reach the promised land.
Atlanta acquired Kuminga from the Warriors in February. Kuminga averaged 12.3 points per game with the Hawks in the regular season. He's putting up 16.0 points per game in the Knicks series thus far.
The Hawks haven't won a playoff series since 2021. That's the year they went to the Eastern Conference Finals with Trae Young and John Collins leading the way.
It will be intriguing to see if Atlanta can upset New York again. The Hawks beat the Knicks in the first round of the 2021 playoffs in five games as the lower seed.
Facing the possibility of a 3-1 deficit Saturday night in Game 4, the pressure is squarely on the Knicks. Let's see if the Hawks can win again at home.
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