Golden State should have one of its top defensive players back in the near future. While veteran swingman Gary Payton II has been ruled out for Thursday’s game against the Lakers, he is making “good progress” from the partially torn ligament in his left thumb is now considered day-to-day, according to an announcement from the Warriors (Twitter link).
Initial reports on Payton’s thumb injury indicated he would be sidelined indefinitely, but the Warriors announced last Thursday that he’d be reevaluated in one week and it sounds as if that exam went well. While the defensive specialist won’t suit up on Thursday, he has yet to be ruled out for the second end of the team’s back-to-back set, so it’s possible he could return as soon as Friday vs. Denver.
Here’s more from around the Pacific:
- Bradley Beal isn’t listed on the Suns‘ injury report for Friday’s game in Boston and is on track to make his return after missing eight games with a left hamstring strain. He shares fans’ frustrations about his inconsistent availability this season and is hopeful he won’t have to miss any more games this spring, writes Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic. “It’s not ideal, obviously, it’s not fun,” Beal said. “You don’t enjoy it. You control what you can control. That’s all I can do. I always preach about being available and that’s something I’m definitely kicking myself about, but that’s sometimes how the cookie crumbles. All I can do is keep my head up and keep getting better. The staff has been great, my body is in a better place and I feel really good right now. Hopefully it continues to stay that way.”
- Jaxson Hayes averaged a career-low 12.5 minutes per game in his first season with the Lakers in 2023/24, but has taken on a significantly more important role in the second year of his minimum-salary deal following the trade sending Anthony Davis to Dallas. Hayes, who will be an unrestricted free agent this summer, is looking to make the most of the chance to start at center alongside an elite pick-and-roll play-maker like Luka Doncic. “I just view it as opportunity to make a name for myself, an opportunity to go win some games and win a ring,” Hayes said on Wednesday, per Dan Woike of The Los Angeles Times. “And I just look at it as I gotta come in locked in every day and just try to make the most out of every day, be the best version of myself.”
- The Kings got good news on Devin Carter after the rookie guard exited Saturday’s game early due to a right shoulder injury. Carter is considered day-to-day due to a shoulder contusion and is being listed as questionable to play on Friday in Charlotte (Twitter link via James Ham of The Kings Beat). Carter has a history of shoulder issues, so the team can breathe a sigh of relief now that the injury appears to be relatively minor.
- While the Carter update was a positive one, there hasn’t been much else to celebrate in Sacramento as of late. As Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee writes, the Kings‘ loss in Washington on Wednesday represents a new low for a team struggling to separate itself in the play-in race from a Phoenix squad that has lost four games in a row. The 36-40 Kings have a one-game lead on the Suns for the No. 10 seed in the West.
Rory Maher contributed to this post.
“that’s sometimes how the cookie crumbles”
The Bradley Beal story
I’m surprised. No posts from the “your delusional” crowd. LA was just a .500 club last month. The Doncic high is over with. They haven’t played the Warriors since Butler joined them. Aren’t they something like 16-4 since then. The Warriors are scoring more and allowing fewer points. Curry is refreshed and energized. Could a long night for, “beat, L, A”…lol…
18-2 keep up
There’s like 3 lakers fans that frequent this board ,and none are eccentric ; the rest are all in your head
Enjoy the game
Half-time score. Warriors 60, LA 47
In GSW’s last 8 games:
GP2 has played 4 games and GSW is 1-3 in those games
Without GP2 in those 8 games, GSW are 4-0
When are we going to realize GP2 is actually the worst player on the roster?
Giants74, I pray you are right.
Tonight’s game feels like the biggest game of the year. A must win. The Lakers have felt like the biggest measuring stick for us over the last 3 seasons.
When the Lakers have beaten GSW, it’s always felt to me that GSW wasn’t a contender. If they beat up on us tonight, it’ll be really deflating. If we win, we’re rolling, baby.
Agreed Ari. I often feel the same way. It’s like the Lakers are the big brother. Definitely need to handle them tonight.
Tomorrow night is Denver at home but tonight the Warriors are on the road in LA. Like you say I have a feeling we have to get this one, especially with the possibility of facing them 4-5 in the playoffs or even 3-6.
Let’s see who guards who and what the strategies are. It’s almost for those reasons I feel like a big name will sit tonight, but I’m hearing both rosters are fully available except for Payton.
It’s going to come down to free throws. Hope we get refs who don’t fall for Reeves throw back the head for a foul flop like last time. Please no ticky tack fouls.
Arc – Gsw is 4 th in fts since Jan 28
Lakers 16 th
You’ve talked a lot over the years bout La s ft disparity
lI thought you’d enjoy that
How many freethrows did lakers get more than warriors in their 3 previouys games? post that.
Will definitely be watching tonight. This is a big game in many different ways.
Arc – It’s about style of play my man
On a Luka team your going to get open 3 s so no fouls so we fall to 16th
On the the inverse you see what Jimmy does to get to the line which you never did before hence rising to 4 th
Ad had a similar game working in the paint around traffic like Jimmy
The result + 8 for Gsw tonight
None of this is groundbreaking stuff nor shocking ; in fact it’s highly predictable so without looking I’d say Lakers def shot more fts in those games
I was curious…You were spot on. The Lakers shot 36FT to the Warriors 20 for the previous game. LA made 80% to the Dubs 70%. Impressive memory and knowledge.
In the last few matchups Curry only showed up for the last 4 mins of the game. If he even looked interested the first half it wouldn’t even be close.
It’s a marvelous measuring stick for both clubs Ari and Gary
Enjoy fellas , April is finally here
Human, it’s Going to be interesting how the final West seedings play out.
It’s so tight right now you can’t even predict who will play who.
I do know as a Warriors fan that I do not want the Nuggets and I don’t want the Lakers, but that’s a pretty big ask and we’ll see how it shakes out. Good luck tonight.
HRD, we finally beat you guys! I think I woulda died otherwise.
Funny thing, although Lakers are better with Luka than AD as far as the 28 other teams in the NBA go, they probably match up worse now with the GSW.
AD and LeBron together handled us. Too much for small-ball. Thank God that AD is gone.
Agreed on the Ad point
I think Kerr out coached Jj tonight as well
Had Green and Bultler at the ft line making great entry passes which AD probably nullifies to a strong degree
Kuminga was low key stellar earning / fighting for position then cashing it
Strange part about it was usually those are zone beater plays and we played little zone all night – hat tip ro kerr for that wrinkle
HRD,
How long do you think until LeBron and Luka maximize their effectiveness playing together?
Obviously, 15 games together is not much, even though they’re both savants.
Good Q ?
I don’t have an answer tbh , maybe a hardcore. Mavs fan might have a better answer
If I had to guess ( today ) , ……not this year
My preliminary guess at time of trade was April 1 ish … but that proved wrong as well and was more wishful thinking most likely
I have to say tho in that 4 th quarter it was V odd to see him. Play 3rd maybe even 4 th fiddle (rui )
Obv happenstance happens but I did wonder what was going on his brain while he was planted in the top corner essentially just spotting up
HRD, yes, I definitely meant it as a question, not a comment.
You mention aobut playing 2nd, 3rd, 4th fiddle, etc. I guess that’s the most interesting thing to me. When an alpha arrives on a new team, they often feel like they must be deferential to the existing alpha, at least for a while.
In this case, the incument alpha is LeBron James. At least last night, it felt like Luka was deferring more than LeBron would want him to.
I think it’s fair to wonder how Luka will really accept giving up so much ball handling to Austin / Lbj ….. he is only human
Or
To put it another way would he trade Lbjs 50 mill for 3 players ( centered around solely his game ) such as Gafford DJones and say Andrew Wiggins ( roughly sane price ) if he could snap his finger and it magically happened ….. Never get the answer but I do wonder …
> it’s fair to wonder how Luka will accept giving up so much to
> ball handling to Austin / Lbj
Right. As a GSW fan, I was happy to see Reaves handling the ball so much with Luka on the court. Reaves is a good player, but not good enough to justify that. The OVERLAP between LeBron, Luka, and Reaves actually hurts the Lakers.
In terms of total talent, LeBron + Luka + Reaves are as good as any 3 in the league, but the pieces don’t fit.
If the Lakers are serious about winning a Chip during LeBron’s last years, shouldn’t they trade Reaves, not only to upgrade their other positions and improve their defense, but to maximize Luka?
From this vantage point, trading Reaves for a dominant defensive big makes too much sense. Using Reaves, the Lakers could get a high-end big, as opposed to a flawed offensive-oriented C like Mark Williams. That would make them a true contender.
Super interesting
I could see Minny Low key running the table 7-0 and being a top 4 seed as it stands
I think we you stand you take a top 6 and be coo me whatever the matchup is
Let’s GO !!!!!!!
Podski baby !!!
The Lakers have the 3rd best home record. The 4 roads games left. They play OKC twice. If the Warriors can keep the momentum going, they can possibly move up to the 4th spot.
String showing had Lbj and Luka rattled all game
We rolling.
Best thing about tonight was how our young guys carried us in the 1st half when Steph and Jimmy weren’t feeling it.
Podz, JK, and Moody came to play.
Kings Guard DC is a Bust !! Often Injured and when healthy, Only had one decent game !!