11:45 PM: Payton has fractured his left elbow, per Anthony Slater of The Athletic (via Twitter). Slater notes that tomorrow’s MRI will indicate the severity of the injury.
9:33 PM: The Warriors‘ second-round playoff matchup against the Grizzlies remains chippy as Game 2 takes place tonight.
After taking a hard foul from Grizzlies wing Dillon Brooks on a breakaway drive (Twitter video link, as captured by Bleacher Report), Warriors starting shooting guard Gary Payton II exited the contest and headed back to Golden State’s locker room. Brooks was instantly assessed a Flagrant 2 foul and ejected from the game.
The Warriors announced (via Twitter) that they have ruled out Payton for the rest of Game 2, following X-rays on his left elbow (Twitter link). Payton logged just 2:52 of game action.
Anthony Slater of The Athletic tweets that the imaging on the elbow proved “inconclusive,” but that Payton would undergo an MRI tomorrow that would hopefully have more answers for the Warriors.
Payton’s Golden State teammate Draymond Green also left the game after a Grizzlies player fouled him. Memphis center Xavier Tillman elbowed Green in the face, as Trisha Easto of the Memphis Commercial Appeal recaps. Green flashed a rude hand gesture in response to the FedEx Forum crowd, which could incur an NBA fine. The Warriors revealed (Twitter link) that Green suffered a right eye laceration and received stitches. He returned to the contest after being sewn up.
Payton was effective defense against Morant and they wanted to take him out. Also probably sending a message/payback. Dirty, cheap, dangerous, obvious.
Problem is that dangerous fouls like that can ruin a career. Payton has absolutely busted his ass to get where he is, working his way through the G-League and bouncing from team to team until this year.
I really hope he is okay.
Brooks deserves a further suspension for something so dangerous and blatantly intentional…
If Paytons arm got broken he will get paid so much less than he would have with a key role on a deep title run.
I agree the Brooks play was reckless, dangerous, and stupid. However, I do not believe it to have been intentional. For one, Memphis would be sacrificing Brooks to take out Payton, which would negate any offensive benefit they gain from the absence of the latter due to the former’s aptitude as a solid 2-way player.
I also really just don’t see why they would want to get “payback.” Nobody seemed overly upset by the Draymond foul from last game.
I don’t think it was intentional either. Dillon Brooks just plays with intensity and lays it all out on the floor.
The level of recklessness it requires to do something that dangerous looking right at him. Its either intentional or wildly reckless, either way should warrant a suspension.
X didnt mean to hit Dray, but deserved to get a F1 for the head contact plus injury. Its obvious where one was looking right at Payton while doing it and the other not looking at all.
“Looking at someone” is not code for “intentional.” Of course he was looking at him; where else could his eyes have possibly been? He went for a block when he clearly should not have; it happens. The same exact scenario occurred during a high school practice between 2 of my former teammates. Do you really think that was intentional as well?
Professionals should be held to a higher standard of conduct in terms of not being reckless with others health, and should have better court awareness of other people and the risk of things than a high schooler.
brooks has never seemed like a smart player. He has always been their enforcer. I blame their coach more than Brooks because before the game their coach was telling his players to play hard and physical. A person like that amps up his physical play and this is what happens so blame the coach for telling his players to win at all cost.
Oh yes, Jenkins is at fault for *checks notes* “telling his players to play hard.”
Can you try a little harder not to be a complete homer?
I’ll preface by saying Brooks no doubt should’ve gotten an FL 2 and ejected.
However, if you look where Dillon’s hand was headed in slow-mo, it’s on a direct trajectory with the ball in GPII’s left hand. He ends up taking a fraction of a bad angle and knocks GPII in the head. I can’t definitively say it was or wasn’t intentional, but imo it wasn’t. If he’s going to try and intentionally foul someone really hard, why wouldn’t it be Curry, Klay or Poole? GPII is a good defender, but Ja put up 34 against him in game 1, and that’s with JJJ scoring 33 as well. So it’s not like he shut him down completely.
As for X not getting an FL 1, you could say the same about Kuminga when he hit/poked Ja in the eye. Neither were meant to happen. But if you call one, then you should call the other.
@crb15
I wouldn’t change a word of your response. Perfectly summed up
To bad the ball was a full 3 feet in front of his hand and he had less than no chance to block it, and GP was already aerial where your supposed to be protected more.
Did he intentionally want to fracture his elbow? Probably not.
But if you’re recklessly whacking guys in the head when they’re going full speed for a dunk then it kind of logically follows that someone could get seriously hurt.
That was sure a strange Landing by Payton. I think he jammed his elbow and surprised his shoulder wasn’t injured as well because of the full weight of his body and his straightened arm taking the impact.
Is there anyone out there who isn’t a Grizzlies fan that likes Brooks? Dirty player. Always has been.
Actually, do Grizzlies fans even like him? He’s a low efficiency chucker who tends to shoot his team out of games with his terrible shot selection. He’d drive me nuts as a fan.
I wouldn’t suspend him for this specific play, but with a rap sheet growing longer by the day the league needs to send a message to him before he causes another injury with his play.
Green is worse. Epitome of a dirty player
Epitome of a winning player
Winning but dirty
You’re thinking of Chris Paul
Can’t have a dude on your team who plays/fouls exactly the same and then be shocked when it happens to your team.
Still remember when Green kicked Adams in the junk to get him out of the game.
Oh crap… fractured elbow…. I was hoping that because he shot the free throws it wasn’t that serious. Oh well.
probably a more hairline than really nasty one, but it still could be at minimum a few weeks. Suspend that scrub Brooks…
Fouling/f’ing up Payton (helping Payton to break his elbow) is a very effective way for Brooks (the Grizz) to knock the Warriors out of the playoffs, bc of their now depleted defense, and get some payback for Draymond’s flagrant 2 “damage” done the other night.
So by your logic we should start JTA and have him straight break Ja’s leg stomping it from the side? I mean if were talking injuring players in return for a play the guy played through and had zero injuries!
Let’s not overrate Payton vis a vis Brooks. Both can trigger comebacks with defense, but Payton is third string behind Curry & Poole, and is a latecomer to the club. Brooks started until last year, set the stage for the team rise, and makes up for skinny happyfeet Morant.
The espn article spoke more of GSW’s loss than MEM’s. This is realistic since an injury lasts longer, and Brook’s move probably had some get-even in it. But to act like MEM is unknowns will only fire them up, not suppress them.
Odd for Kerr to complain about what is a baskketball play after Draymond last game… Brooks’ hand came closer to the ball than Green’s did… It was an extreme regular play, not a scrum reaction like Green’s. It was close to an amazing play, but risked a disaster, which happened, and disaster may have been as much of the goal as a block.
So, ejection. But big-timing Memphis is also risky, like a dive-block on a layup.
Hitting someon on the head in the air is far more dangerous than a slap and grabbing his jersey while vertical jumping. This play was really dangerous overall and, most important, could have been avoided by Brooks, its 2 points the first minutes of the game, and chasing from behind
WTf are you talking about!?
There was nothing “amazing” about that play except that it’s an amazing coincidence that they took out the two players that have stacked up the best against Ja in the past.
Dray’s was more of an accident, but Payton is the guy that has shown to be a huge difference maker against Ja and he just happens to be clubbed in the head in the first 3 minutes?
This s&@t is ridiculous. It’s no coincidence that Ja went for 47 on the same night they take out the guy that was gonna be on his ass all game…
Brooks should be out for as long as Payton is.
What is almost amazing is that Brooks almost hit the ball. It was was a chase-down block like many have done, and they get accolades for it. It almost worked, maybe 5 inches away, because Payton is relatively short.
Draymond on the other hand made a hopeless head-aimed stab then followed with a pulldown to a flat fall with no hope of Clarke landing right.
Both flagrant 2s- the risk Brooks made and the damaging impulses (2) of Green.
Splitting hairs about what is more dangerous is pointless.
GSW and their fans should worry about not appearing to respect an opponent or it will bite them. If the game is fighting Memphis will make the most of it, if only because, Memphis.
GSW lost bc they did not make their 3s!
I’ll come back to this comment when the Warriors beat the Grizzlies.
You know, if Memphis was intentionally trying to knock people out of the postseason, why wouldn’t they just hurt Curry? This logic is so ridiculous
Because Curry is a superstar and it would be more heavily scrutinized and punished. Taking out a less heralded, but in this series, possibly as important (due to his stifling defense) player that negates your star’s brilliance is what brutish, stupid A-holes think is “good strategy”
The logic is sound when it’s a player like Payton that has your star’s number.
There is plenty of heralding going on, whoever is involved.
These playoffs may get known for headhunting, the concussion to Embiid included.
Payton did not fall right, how could that be predicted.
Players have to keep being ejected.
I told you I would come back to this comment.
Warriors just eliminated the Grizzlies.
Your arrogance has been rewarded.
Damn. That’s really unfortunate for them, and him. I hurt my elbow on Christmas 2020, and am still having problems. 1 thing I’ve noticed through my own experience, as well as others I know, and my mother also having broken her elbow a few years ago is that xrays seem to be weird with the elbow. All of us were told 1 thing, then told to come back and told the opposite, and then went somewhere else where I was told something else, so they probably wont really know until the MRI. For me, it bothers me when I reach for something, move my arm to the side, or when I need to carry something, but otherwise its not really too much of an issue. If it isnt too bad, I could see them putting him in a cast for a couple of weeks, and it might be doable for him to come back afterwards, if they can survive what is a tough matchup for them
They need Iguodala even more now
My guess is you didn’t have the best doctors billions of dollars can buy. I’m sure they will figure it out and treat rapidly and easily. The rehab back from it will be a whole different story, especially for a fringe nba player. I for one hope he sticks around league long enough to play for an eventual return of the SuperSonics
Multiple different places, but obviously, although 1 person did go to a pretty well known place for their stuff (they did heal, but it took almost a year to get fully right for them). I also never went to a specialist for mine, or got the mri. I lowkey think I injured the ligament, but i also already had nerve damage there, so it’s possiblethat just got exacerbated by the injury, which is why it still effects me…it has gotten a bit better in the last couple of months though, finally…
I’m sure for him it wont be that big of a deal, depending on how bad it is, obviously
I’m just saying sometimes with the elbow xrays are seemingly inconclusive/there are certain spots that can be hard for the machine to pick up entirely, and you end up with false results
Elbows have funny bones ha.
Just a hard foul, GPII landed wrong. Eject Brooks and move on.
Payton only “landed wrong” because he was clubbed in the head in midair from behind, and his body had less than a second to react before hitting the ground. He wouldn’t have “landed wrong” if he wasn’t literally blindsided by a windmill dunk into his ear hole.
What’s the motivation to downplay it?
It was the landing not the foul that messed up his elbow.
??? he lands that way BECAUSE of the foul bro.
Spike, that’s the worst Post in this entire thread. He landed that way because he was violently knocked out of balance, from behind, while in the air.
Arc says hold my beer above Gary
Now that you’ve licked them, Dillon Brooks would like to know how his kicks taste.
I hate seeing guys suspended in the playoffs but Brooks should miss a couple games for that one. That was in no way a basketball play.
There was a clear wind-up and both were moving fast – usually makes for a flagrant foul.
It’s the playoffs, no lay-ups as they always say. It was a chase-down and a hard foul, FF2 was right. No suspensions warranted.
If anything, Draymond’s FF2 on Clarke was more reckless since there was a clear wind-up AND he pulls the guy down – which is far from being a basketball move.
It was the landing which aggravated things – never pad your landing using your hand/arm ……. use your shoulders, butt, etc.
The commentators (R. Miller?) and Shaq, Charles all say the same thing. The landing GP Jr. chose was a big no-no.
I attended a judo/gymnastics class years ago, and the first thing they teach is how to land on the ground.
Oregon (brooks) vs Oregon state (gp2)
Rivals in caskadia
Brooks no doubt was reckless. Draymond kind of created this intense macho environment. Memphis is the higher seed, they are playing in their home court, and they didnt want to be intimidated. These guys are tired of getting no respect and wanted to step up physicality intensity and prove that they belong. Feel terrible for GP2. He didnt deserve this fate. Overall, It was one intense helluva game in which Memphis was lucky to win.
Utter BS. Brooks was beyond reckless and fully aware of what he was doing. Dray has a history, but his foul was so much less intentional, less risky, and with a much better outcome.
Under your logic Brooks just amped the series up to more physical, so whats next JTA starts just to break Ja’s leg and get ejected?
Not just talking about Draymond’s foul on Clarke. It’s his whole persona about defense intensity, toughness, taunting, antics with fans, screaming, desire to win, and whatever it takes to win. They want to do the same and win like Draymond. It is what it is. They respect Draymond.
Draymond watched to much wrestling as a kid. Watching everything he does reminds me of WcW vs NWO when I was in jr high. He does stuff to get in your head, and he plays up for the crowd. It has been a long time since Dray lost his cool in any way outside unloading on a ref. Its been like 7 years now since the last nut shot from Dray, and he hasnt been the same person since 2019. It would make anyone more mature playing on that 19-20 team.
People act like Dray is still the dude from 2014 when he just clearly isnt.
Dude from 2014?— Worse, due to being jaded about BB, and caring less about norms, like the way Dennis Rodman got.
That podcast (not the game) is the biggest thing keeping Dray in touch, a next challenge until he retires into broadcasting (probably). And eventually podcasters have to get attention to be successful, so it’s not exactly a force for mellow.
This is such a shame for GPII and the Warriors! He was playing so well for them that it rejuvenated his career. Brooks at least should sit out for one game.
If there’s any good news out of this it’s that at least it was upper body/arm rather than lower body, leg, knee or ankle which could have long-term effect on his athleticism.
Hopefully he can still maintain quickness, jumping ability and super Elite athleticism.
He surely deserves multiyear contract with a raise.
Damm, if GP2 had “super elite athleticism”, how would one describe, say Ja Morant ?
Mike, Ja Morant is even more athletic because he can do it offensively and with the ball. Gary Payton can’t do the things with the dribble that Morant can do with ease.
I mean the spin moves, back and forth, left and right, both hands in the lane, shoot from 3, Morant does it all.
Springy as a Bug
Hope he can make a speedy recovery, especially with his free agency upcoming. Looks more like it was reckless than intentional on Brooks end
What y’all think he fetches in the open market ?
3 years $15 million ?
Less now thanks to Brooks and missing showcase playoff minutes. Yet another reason Brooks deserves a fat suspension. Dude prolly just cost GPII 5M…
Drey was worse imo. Brooks went for the ball. Knowing he couldn’t get it. So swung for it. You can see him reach for it. He didn’t care he was going to hit him. Problem was he’s in the air. So any Knock with force will throw him off line.
He knew it was going to be a hard foul. But then he landed bad and got hurt. Brooks didn’t expect that. You can see he is surprised. It’s a flagrant for sure. But it was not intended to hurt him.
Drey got lucky he landed right. To me Dreys was worse. Both were flagrant. Both should be suspended.
This is why you dont go after a guy in the air. Unless you meet him in air at rim. Both these guys were behind the play. That’s when things can go wrong. And it did for Brooks. Drey is dirtiest player in NBA today. This is what happens when the league doesn’t protect the players. Teams will do it for themselves. That simple.
Payton is a tough loss. Cause he definitely bothered Ja on D. Again Dreys actions will cost Warriors. Buddha