- The Kuminga Effect: Atlanta moved to 3-0 since acquiring Jonathan Kuminga, steamrolling the Blazers 135-101.
- Viral Highlight: Kuminga stunned the crowd with a mid-air hand-switch dunk that immediately flooded social media.
- Trade Remorse: Hawks legend Dominique Wilkins openly mocked the Warriors on the broadcast for trading the 23-year-old star.
ATLANTA — Jonathan Kuminga didn’t just dunk on the Portland Trail Blazers; he dunked on every doubt the Golden State Warriors ever had about his ceiling. In a 135-101 demolition at State Farm Arena, Kuminga proved that his relocation to the Southeast might be the heist of the 2026 season.
The Dunk That Broke the Internet
The moment of the night arrived in the second quarter. Kuminga took off from the dotted line, met a Blazers defender in the air, and casually switched the ball from his right hand to his left before flushing it home. The arena didn’t just cheer; it erupted. It was the kind of elite athleticism that Golden State often kept tethered to the bench—and the Hawks’ broadcast team wasn’t about to let that slide.
Kuminga finished the night with 24 points, 8 rebounds, and 4 assists, continuing a blistering start to his Atlanta tenure. Since arriving in the trade that sent Kristaps Porzingis to the Bay Area, Kuminga has averaged 21.3 points per game. The Warriors, meanwhile, have struggled to integrate a frequently sidelined Porzingis into their rotation.
| Player | Points | Rebounds | Assists | FG% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jonathan Kuminga | 24 | 8 | 4 | 64.3% |
| Trae Young | 21 | 2 | 12 | 45.0% |
| Jalen Johnson | 18 | 11 | 3 | 52.0% |
What They Said
Hawks legend and color commentator Dominique Wilkins didn’t hide his glee as the lead ballooned to 30. Watching Kuminga glide through the air, “The Human Highlight Film” delivered the quote of the night.
“Oh man, thank you, Golden State Warriors! We appreciate it. How you give up on a guy that young with that ability is beyond me. I’m not surprised, but I’m definitely thankful.”
— Dominique Wilkins, Hawks Broadcast
Playoff Implications: A New Power in the East?
Atlanta has been searching for a secondary scoring punch to pair with Trae Young for years. They may have found more than that. Kuminga’s ability to create his own shot and defend multiple positions has transformed the Hawks’ defensive identity overnight.
While the Blazers continue their descent into the lottery, Atlanta is surging toward a top-four seed in the Eastern Conference. If Kuminga maintains this efficiency, the Warriors’ decision to move him for an aging, injury-prone veteran will be remembered as one of the biggest front-office blunders of the decade. Next up, the Hawks take their winning streak on the road to face the Brooklyn Nets.
