The Warriors' path to a first-round playoff series will continue without a key player.
Gary Payton II will miss Tuesday's win-or-go-home NBA Play-In Tournament matchup with the Sacramento Kings at Golden 1 Center, Warriors coach Steve Kerr confirmed to reporters Monday. And if Golden State defeats Sacramento and advances to its second play-in game against the loser of the No. 7 vs. No. 8 seed game, Payton will miss that game, too.
Payton missed the final three games of the 2023-24 NBA regular season due to a calf injury.
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The winner of Tuesday's play-in game will face the loser of the Los Angeles Lakers-New Orleans Pelicans game for one final shot at the playoffs on Friday.
Kerr said if the Warriors still are alive past Friday, Payton will be re-evaluated over the weekend.
"If we advance, we're hopeful he would be able to play in the first round," Kerr said.
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Payton played in just 44 games this season, averaging 5.5 points on 56.3 percent shooting, with 2.6 rebounds and 1.1 assists. His impact, however, goes beyond a stat sheet, as his defensive prowess and high-flying athleticism certainly will be missed for the Warriors this week.
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