“I’m ready to go, just waiting for your call” Gary Payton II’s desperate plea to Warriors Coach Steve Kerr ahead of Game 2 vs Celtics
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Steve Kerr and Gary Payton II
Gary Payton II was included on the Golden State Warriors‘ injury report before Game 1 of the NBA Finals for the first time since breaking his elbow against the Memphis Grizzlies in Game 2 of the Western Conference playoffs a month ago. Payton announced before Game 1 of the NBA Finals against the Boston Celtics that he was feeling much better and that he was already pushing to get back into the lineup. Coach Steve Kerr kept him on the bench for this humiliating defeat, but that might change for Game 2 of the series on Sunday at Chase Center.
Road to Gary Payton II’s first ever NBA Finals after a gruesome injury
Gary Payton II was on his way to becoming an NBA playoff star — and had maybe already won that label with his opening-round effort against the Denver Nuggets. It was affected with a Flagrant 2 foul committed by Dillion Brooks which fractured his elbow in Game 2 of the Western Conference Semifinals against the Memphis Grizzlies. The Warriors guard went undrafted in 2016 and spent five years with five G-League teams and four NBA teams before breaking out as a key member of Golden State’s squad.
Steve Kerr on Payton’s possible return in Game 2
During a pre-game press conference, Steve Kerr said the following: “I anticipate that he will be available for more than that tomorrow, because the last couple of days have gone pretty well and he’s feeling better.” Steve Kerr has already stated that he would not likely play many minutes on Sunday. This is a player who is still recovering from a serious injury, and putting him on the floor may mean losing him for months. However, he is in a critical scenario that may force him to return to the court. Payton is a critical player for this squad, and his return to form is key to their hopes of winning the championship this season.
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Gary Payton Sr. on his son’s injury
In a video interview , Hall of Famer and NBA 75th Anniversary Team member Gary Payton Sr. had a very straightforward concept on how the Warriors might improve their defensive woes for Game 2 on Sunday: Gary Payton II should play!
For the first time since injuring his left elbow early in the Western Conference quarterfinals, the younger Payton was classified as eligible for Game 1. Despite his availability, Payton II did not play in the Finals opener on Thursday, which surprised his father.
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