A vital member of the Golden State Warriors, Gary Payton II, will be absent from the team’s NBA Play-In Tournament matchup against the Sacramento Kings at Golden 1 Center. Steve Kerr, the coach of the Warriors, confirmed this absence. Furthermore, Payton will be unavailable should the Warriors proceed to their second play-in game, which will be against the winner of the No. 7 vs. No. 8 seed match.
A calf injury that prevented Payton from playing in the last three games of the NBA regular season in 2023–24 has continued to affect his availability for pivotal postseason games.
Kerr stated that Payton will be reassessed this weekend if the Warriors win beyond Friday. If they go on, the team still has hope that he will be able to participate in the opening round of the playoffs.
Payton averaged 5.5 points on 56.3 percent shooting, 2.6 rebounds, and 1.1 assists per game despite only playing 44 games this season. Not only is his absence noteworthy due to his stats, but the Warriors will also miss his athleticism and defensive prowess during this crucial time.
This injury report discusses Gary Payton II’s absence from key Golden State Warriors postseason games and offers insight into how it can affect the team’s future results.
