Jonathan Kuminga Sparks Atlanta Hawks With 27 Points

Jonathan Kuminga debuted for the Hawks in style, pouring in a season-high 27 points (9-of-12 shooting) with seven rebounds, four assists and two steals in Atlanta’s 119-98 win over Washington. Back from a left knee bone bruise and his first game since Jan. 22, he provided instant bench juice, helping Atlanta build a 17-point halftime lead as the team improved to 29-31 and fights for play-in positioning. Merlin sees the trade as a reset. Kuminga’s inconsistent role in Golden State masked his upside; in Atlanta he found space to shoot, attack the rim and rebound without fitting into a veteran-heavy rotation. Consistency is the real test, but consecutive games against the Wizards give him a quick chance to prove this was no fluke and raise the Hawks’ ceiling.