ANGELES, CA This preseason, Jonathan Kuminga has displayed distinct behavior on the court. With the regular season just eleven days away, the third-year forward is giving the Golden State Warriors much to be pleased about, even though early October performances should be taken with a grain of salt.

Kuminga finished with 26 points, three rebounds, three assists, and two steals in the Warriors’ 129-125 victory over the Lakers on Friday night in Los Angeles, following up his game-high 24 points and eight rebounds in the team’s preseason opener at Chase Center.

After two preseason games, the 21-year-old is shooting 65.3% from the field and 53.8% from 3-point range. He is presently leading the NBA in scoring per game with an average of 25.0.

Following a scrimmage on Monday where he jammed his thumb on the backboard, Kuminga was labeled as questionable going into the evening. Throughout the week, his left hand was covered in bandages for protection, and the Warriors only allowed him to participate in lite on-court activity. It wasn’t until almost thirty minutes before tip-off on Saturday that his availability for the game was confirmed.

Kuminga’s thumb turned out not to be a problem, as head coach Steve Kerr had anticipated earlier in the week.

Late in the second quarter, Kuminga really got things going when he outplayed LeBron James on the right wing and delivered a nasty two-handed dunk while Anthony Davis was nearby.

After returning to the game with 5:23 remaining in the third quarter, Kuminga continued to work hard, going 4-of-4 from the field in the first half. He swiftly converted a 3-point play off an offensive tip and then made a 3-pointer from the left wing on the Warriors’ next possession. His play on defense, when he played physical on the perimeter and battled through screens, was equally outstanding.

It’s evident that Kuminga is still making progress. Over the winter, he has been more eager to attempt 3-pointers, which has improved his offensive threat. He makes decisions with less hesitation now. He moves more deliberately both with and without the ball.

Granted, Kuminga did commit three turnovers against the Lakers and produced less than he did on Friday of last week, but those are essentially the only complaints. And he added two more free throws with 10.7 seconds remaining in regulation to give the Warriors a 128-125 lead.