Timberwolves star Jonathan Kuminga’s night vs. Pistons leaves Chris Finch impressed
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The Minnesota Timberwolvesdid not have much to feel good about on Wednesday night, but Jonathan Kuminga gave head coach Chris Finch at least one reason to smile.
Minnesota was routed 128-106 by the Detroit Pistons in a preseason game at Target Center, dropping to 3-2 in exhibition play. The Pistons took control in the second quarter, forcing 10 Timberwolves turnovers in the frame and converting them into 16 points.
Kuminga was one of the few bright spots for the home team. The forward finished with 16 points on an efficient 5-of-6 shooting from the field, including 2-of-3 from three-point range, while adding four rebounds and three assists.
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After the game, Finch singled out Kuminga’s quick decision-making, which stood out on a night when the rest of the offense struggled to take care of the ball.
The performance was an encouraging step for Kuminga, who was coming off a brief absence. He sat out Monday’s preseason game against the New York Knicks due to general soreness, with Finch explaining at the time that the team was being “overly cautious” with his “bumps and bruises.”
Wednesday’s outing was also a noticeable jump from his preseason debut. Starting at power forward in a 116-97 win over the Milwaukee Bucks on Oct. 5, Kuminga scored eight points on 2-of-4 shooting with two rebounds in 14 minutes.
The 24-year-old is still getting acclimated to his new surroundings. Kuminga signed a two-year deal with Minnesota in free agency after spending his first five seasons with the Golden State Warriors and finishing last season with the Atlanta Hawks following a trade-deadline deal. He averaged 12.5 points and 4.2 rebounds between the two teams in 2025-26.
The Timberwolves envision him as a key piece of their starting group alongside LaMelo Ball, Anthony Edwards, Jaden McDaniels and Rudy Gobert. Edwards led Minnesota with 20 points against Detroit, while Ball dished out six assists.
The Wolves will have one more chance to tighten things up before the games start to count. Minnesota closes out its preseason slate on Friday night against the Chicago Bulls at the United Center.
If Kuminga can keep making quick, decisive plays like he did against the Pistons, he could give Minnesota’s offense a valuable extra dimension once the regular season tips off.
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