The Golden State Warriors and their fans are still feeling the shock of the fourth quarter the Boston Celtics threw at them in Thursday’s 120-108 loss in Game 1 of the 2022 NBA Finals. Boston outscored the Warriors 40-16 in the final frame, while knocking down an NBA record nine 3-pointers.
The Warriors’ defense was solid for most of the night, particularly Celtics forward Jayson Tatum, who was limited to 12 points on 3-for-17 shooting, but the fourth quarter’s barrage was a product of poor Golden State. defense as was Boston’s hot shot. Celtics wing Jaylen Brown was able to drive into the lane, causing the defense to collapse and creating open shots.
Hall of Famer and NBA 75th Anniversary Team member Gary Payton, who spoke to CBS Sports on Friday in a video interview, has a pretty good idea of how the Warriors can fix their defensive woes for the Game. Sunday 2: Playing with his son, Gary Payton II. The younger Payton has been a defensive stalwart for the Warriors all season, and he was listed as available for Game 1 for the first time since he broke his left elbow early in the Western Conference semifinals. Despite his availability, Payton II did not participate in Thursday’s opening game, which confused his father.
“They shouldn’t say he’s available. If you don’t think he’s ready, then don’t say ‘available,’ just put him in street clothes,” Payton told CBS Sports. “Why make him dress? I don’t understand that. That’s a mystery to me, but that’s his decision.”
“…I’m glad they gave him the chance and opportunity to get on that stage. Now the opportunity is for the Golden State Warriors coaching staff to make the decision to put him in the game. They only have a couple to go.” left. Just put it on. … It’s been doing it for you all year.”
Warriors coach Steve Kerr said Saturday that he and the coaching staff were not comfortable with Payton II playing extended minutes in Game 1 at this stage of his recovery. If a situation arose where the Warriors needed a defensive stop, Kerr could have turned to Payton II, but things didn’t work out that way. However, for Game 2, Kerr said he expects Payton II to be available for more playing time.
“I’m available, ready to go. I’m just waiting for the call,” Payton II told reporters on Saturday. “… I am trying to say [Kerr] I am ready every day. Let’s hope she sinks sooner or later.”
The oldest of the Paytons has a lot of experience in the NBA Finals. His Seattle SuperSonics took Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls to six games in the 1996 Finals, and he won a championship at age 37 with the Miami Heat in 2006. Payton, a former defensive player of the year, believes his son can play a important role in limiting the Celtics’ offense.
“[Payton II] could have such an impact [Marcus] Smart did when he hit [Stephen] Curry. He tried to take Curry off his game, that’s what he did. He started to push him harder. I think you have to put more pressure on Brown, Tatum,” Payton told CBS Sports. “You have to stop Brown from penetrating and doing the things that he’s going to do. You have to put someone there.”
Payton II had become an essential part of the Warriors’ rotation this postseason, earning a starting role in the first two games of the Memphis Grizzlies’ series, but was injured after a heavy fall that led to a flagrant foul on Dillon Brooks in Game 2. The game earned Brooks an ejection and a one-game suspension, while also creating a speech about whether he was dirty. Kerr fanned the flames of controversy after the game by saying that Brooks “broke the code” with the hard foul. Old Payton, who thrived in the tough, physical basketball of the 1990s and early 2000s, doesn’t see it that way.
“It’s a basketball play. People have to relax. It’s just basketball, you know what I’m saying? He didn’t come out and say, ‘I’m about to hurt him.'” I didn’t do that,” Payton told CBS Sports. “Now it would have been a different story if he had pushed him up in the air and made it clear that he was trying to hurt him. The boy was trying to make a basketball play. He made a mistake and jumped too late, hit my son in the head. And what people do not understand, my son did not land well. He just didn’t land right. It was just a freak accident.”
Even if his elbow isn’t fully healed, Payton II should be able to make a significant defensive impact. But offensively, especially with the Celtics likely to walk away from him, he needs to be able to make them pay. Payton II became a 39 percent corner 3-point shooter this season and is 4-6 from corners this postseason. He has to be able to take them down, and it can be tough if his shooting elbow isn’t quite right yet.
Whether or not Payton II’s elbow is fully healed, it certainly looks like there’s a good shot to be had — we’ll see him in Game 2 — and he’ll be a welcome addition to a Golden State roster facing what amounts to a game in the which must win. Sunday.
“The fact that he’s available, I know he has to be ready because his number could be called at any time,” Curry said of Payton II on Saturday. “He has to be the GP that we know him to be. He can affect this series in the same way. Protect Jaylen, protect Jayson, protect Marcus, protect whoever they ask him to protect and give us a huge energy boost, because that’s what he does.”
Reference-www.cbssports.com