Gary Payton II has become a fan favorite in his first full season with the Warriors, writes Marcus Thompson II of The Athletic. Some of the affection stems from his Oakland roots and some can be explained by the years-long struggle he had to make the league before earning a roster spot with Golden State.
Payton received a thunderous ovation when he entered Sunday’s Game 2, playing for the first time since fracturing his left elbow in the second-round series against Memphis. He consistently provides energy off the bench and fans have responded, putting him in the top five among team jersey sales since the playoffs began.
“So hard to make this league in general,” Stephen Curry said, “but even harder (to be an) NBA player’s son trying to follow in the dad’s footsteps. It’s a different challenge and journey for him coming out of college, trying to find his way, G League, training camp offers, bouncing around the league, all over the place, then finally finding a home. … I think he was on two-way last year. He was available but not really. Then knowing he could really help us this year, he’s actually proven to be an amazing difference-maker. I think fans really resonate with that.”
There’s more on the Warriors:
- Curry is quickly shedding his reputation as a poor defender, according to Connor Letourneau of The San Francisco Chronicle, adding that opponents are finding it harder to attack him on pick-and-rolls. “Teams used to try to call Steph into every action, and just try to pick on him, but that doesn’t work anymore,” Draymond Green said. “He’s able to hold his ground, so you’re not able to bump him off his spot, and that’s been huge for us. I’m not shocked he’s playing that type of defense.”
- Klay Thompson has been watching online videos of his past highlights in an effort to break out of his shooting slump, Letourneau states in a mailbag column. Thompson shot just 4-of-19 in Game 2 and was 1-of-8 from three-point range. Letourneau expects coach Steve Kerr to run some early pick-and-roll action for Thompson tonight, noting that he was the team’s most efficient scorer from that set this season.
- Former Lakers head coach Frank Vogel and assistant David Fizdale could be candidates to join Kerr’s staff next season, Letourneau adds in the same piece. The Warriors are already losing Mike Brown to Sacramento, and Kenny Atkinson is one of the finalists to be the next head coach in Charlotte.
- Payton, Andre Iguodala and Otto Porter Jr., who were all listed as questionable, will be able to play tonight, tweets Anthony Slater of The Athletic.
Has to be a must-win for the Celtics here tonight. They better come out ready to go and I think they will. But to the same degree the Warriors know they’re getting older and if the past two years have taught them anything it’s that you’re not guaranteed to come back to this place.. being the finals.
I’ve got the Warriors winning these two in Boston. Celtics don’t really defend their home court too well anyway but they’re strong on the road for some reason and they’ll win game 5 in San Francisco.
I have an answer for everyone here… made after the game.
The Boston crowd really backs the team… ABC struggled to block their unified cussing cheers. IDKY the team does not do that well for the home fans. Maybe they cuss at the players too.
Everyone who said GSW needs to trade to get stronger in the paint, can shake their head wisely and grimly.
But, in the last couple playoff years, whoever gets wiped out in one game, comes back next game to return the favor.
For some reason they erased between 20 and 30 comments on this article. Not sure why. Disappointing.
Basically it’s a great win for the Celtics. Warriors behind the 8-ball, need to win Friday. Done.
They’ll probably erase this one too because we’re talking about the game instead of the article? Don’t get it.
Being a Warriors fan, I still have Celtics winning the title. They’re bigger, athletic and they have more 2 way players. They have better team defense.
The Warriors are done.
My error. I think I’m referring to the other article a day earlier. I was such a scatterbrain last night after the debilitating loss. Extremely disappointed and then I was a huge mess with the curry injury. Thinking straight was way down on the list for me. HR, thank you for your grace.
Not a Warriors fan ……
But I like that black uní ……
Let’s Go
I prefer to see colors, and black and white don’t quite cut it as colorful.
GSW unis should be painted red like the golden gate bridge.
Steph Curry got the strongest pr team in sports but it doesn’t take Bo Outlaw’s shades to see that he’s still a below average defender. Definitely improved but still very much a liability on that end. He’s gotten stronger & he’s applying all of his experience. These are the same reasons why every player gets progressively better defensively throughout their career (injuries notwithstanding) until their athleticism dries up. This is clearly just part of cleaning up his public image. Lacking defense is/was 1 of the very few negative marks on Steph
Curry will stand in better, but sometimes that means he gets knocked over more.
He’s still a better defender than Lillard, Harden, Morant, Irving etc.
I’ll say Curry is an average defender at best.
The “Little Warriors” …….. JVG
who said that ?? Size matters in the NBA
Celtic D so far. Just take good shots. Let’s Go
And on today’s “Yes Jeff Stressed This”:
The Celtics are bigger and more athletic…
and the epitome of that, J Tatum, finished his drives hard, jumping off his legs forcefully to score near the rim, instead of working into the defender to just draw a foul.
Also Average Al is now, after all these years, ironically seen to be adding to a team’s athleticism instead of compromising it.
He looked lean & hungry & to be fouling a lot.
The Little Warriors ………
Who’s the guy in the red jacket on the GSW bench?
Chris Chiozza backup point guard kind of like the 15th man.
I didn’t look it up I hope that’s how you spell it.
But pronouned the Italian way, gathering and raising the fingers of one hand in the air.
BS call …. Curry jumped into him.
Once again the refs have to help the Warriors
You mean that call where Horford turned the momentum around— for GSW? He got the level one bad karma call.
You mean when White flopped on the ground or Brown running into curry and Curry getting called for the foul?
Ha ha – 23 fouls on GSW to 17 for the “more physical” Celtics. Only one player fouled out (Draymond), Curry and Wiggins with 4 each and no Cetic had more than 3 fouls.
When you set a pick for Curry. You have to stand still. Watch how they always slide their feet to block defender. That’s a moving block. Curry is protected. Cause NBA wants to see him shoot. It is always a moving pick. Warriors get away with it all the time. It’s so obvious .
It’s also done universally at this point, for everyone by everyone against everyone. Some pickers seem to wrestle at the end. Mark Jackson calls that effort.
I wish somebody would hire Jackson as a coach so I don’t have to listen to his rubbish during games.
I mean, I have to listen to your ” GS in 5″ rubbish…
Just like how they never call travels on Tatum. He traveled 4 times and no calls on it. What about the 3 second call? Williams lives under the basket.
Here comes the self-proclaimed basketball “expert”.
“Curry is protected” lol. Literally every team does that that so-called moving pick. It’s the norm now.
You don’t know anything.