Following the season-ending injury of All-Star forward Jimmy Butler to a torn ACL in his right knee, Jonathan Cuminga, the team's newly ignited hope, also suffered a setback in his second game back.

The Warriors have officially confirmed that Cuminga will miss Saturday's crucial game against the Minnesota Timberwolves due to left knee soreness. This season, Cuminga was sidelined for a month due to a coaching staff decision (DNP).

However, the blockbuster signing of Butler in 2025 made the Warriors' frontcourt seem unbreakable until injuries struck. Butler's season-ending injury forced head coach Steve Kerr to reinstate Cuminga.

Kuminga lived up to expectations, scoring an efficient 20 points in his comeback debut against the Toronto Raptors on Tuesday, becoming the team's primary replacement after Butler's absence.

In Thursday night's game against the Dallas Mavericks, the Warriors' Cuminga was in superb form, coming off the bench for just 9 minutes and scoring 10 points on 3-for-3 shooting and 4-for-4 from the free-throw line, with a plus-minus of +18, making him the team's most outstanding player.

With four minutes remaining in the second quarter, Kuminga stumbled during a powerful drive, spraining his left knee and ankle. Despite his determination to finish the free throws, he could only limp off the court and later declined interviews, stating he was in pain.

This is a tough test for the Warriors, who are currently eighth in the Western Conference and mired in the play-in tournament. Jimmy Butler's arrival was initially seen as a championship run, but now the team will face the Timberwolves' tall and deep frontcourt without both Butler and Cuminga, two of their key forwards.

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