In the final stages of the Golden State Warriors game against the Los Angeles Lakers Tuesday night, the Warriors were sitting on a seven-point lead, and forward Jimmy Butler missed an open jump shot.

Jonathan Kuminga, getting a bevy of quality minutes, crashed the boards to garner the offensive rebound. He then fed Stephen Curry, who buried a 3-point field goal to put the game out of reach.

Power forward Draymond Green said the fighting for the rebound and the zest Kuminga put into the sequence is exactly what the Warriors were looking to see.

“That rebound is what everyone in the world has been waiting to see,” Green told reporters after the game. “When you have that athleticism, you go make big plays like that. When you have superstar potential, you go make big plays. Those are game-winning plays.

“We all can ask for opportunity. When you ask for opportunity, you must deliver. He’s been very vocal about (wanting) opportunity, and he delivered.”

Kuminga is the same guy who held the Warriors hostage in a contract dispute this summer. The two sides were playing chicken in the middle of the road and waited to see who would get out of the way first.

The parties met half way and settled on a two-year, $46.8 million contract with a club option for the second year.

On the first night of the NBA season, Kuminga showed he deserved every penny of that contract and then some.

Kuminga poured in 17 points, grabbed nine rebounds and had six assists in the win. He also made four 3-point field goals, but his nine boards is where he proved his worth.

“I think he’s really, really matured,” Warriors head 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.

“You saw in the first half, he took a couple of tough, mid-range fadeaways that we don’t want. He immediately held up his hand, (because) he realized that was not the shot to take. He had a couple of turnovers where he drove into traffic. 

“The whole talk at halftime was let’s use Steph’s movement and put pressure on the defense. Then Jonathan, the first few plays of the third quarter, it was beautiful. Screen for Steph, slip to the rim; split cut, he hits a wide-open 3. I just think he has a better sense of what’s needed now, compared to past years.” 

Kuminga has been under the wing of Butler, who has been working with him both on and off the court. They are working on everything from playing hoops, talking hoops and watching film.

“I just want to help JK be great,” Butler said. “He’s got so much raw talent and he’s so aggressive, athletic and super smart. I’m trying to teach him a little bit of what I see throughout the game. 

“I know how great he wants to be and how great he can be. So it’s now my job to help him fulfill that.”

Kuminga praised Butler for his career and his wholesome advice.

“I feel like in this league, Jimmy is one of the people who actually has been in my shoes throughout their career,” Kuminga said. “He knows what I’ve been through, the similarities in our games. … And his knowledge of the game, as much as he knows, I’m just trying to pick his brain.”