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Gary Payton II Addresses Elbow Injury
The Golden State Warriors announced that versatile guard Gary Payton II will miss 3-5 weeks with a fractured elbow. The injury occurred on an unnecessary and dirty foul from Memphis Grizzlies guard Dillon Brooks, who was ejected for the play. With the news coming out that Payton would miss extended time, the young guard shared a message on his Instagram story:
If the Golden State Warriors were to make an NBA Finals run, a return for Gary Payton II has not been ruled out, but he will certainly miss the remainder of this series. Payton's absence will certainly be felt, as he had previously done a good job defending Ja Morant, who exploded for 47 points after Payton was removed from the game. Without him, the Warriors will have to find new ways to slow down Morant.
While the news that Payton will miss 3-5 weeks is unfortunate, it is on the shorter end of many of the timetables that were predicted following the initial diagnoses. With the door remaining open for a potential return in the NBA Finals, there remains hope that GP2 will have an opportunity to play again this season. With all of the work that he put in to not only make this roster, but emerge as a key contributor, it would certainly be great to see him back on the floor during these playoffs.
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