This may be the series that the Warriors need most from Peyton II, but the fractured elbow injury makes the defensive player likely to miss for a long time. Tomorrow's MRI will determine the severity of Payton's injury, but medical experts' estimates of the injury are already like a blow: it may be a few weeks out, or it may be a season reimbursement, which is not an injury that can return in just a few days.
How hard is it for the Warriors to lack Payton? Look at what Morant had played without him for most of the G2. G2 first game, Morant bombed 47 points, a career record for the playoffs, and many media and fans after the game lamented that if Payton was not injured, Morant could not score so easily. In the last 6 minutes and 11 seconds of the game, Morant took 18 points, which was a runaway.
Payton's performance against defensive Morant this season is elite. In the regular season, under his defensive position, Morant was 2 of 12, and so far in the playoffs, under his defensive position, Morant was 6 of 2, adding up to 4 of 18. The Warriors couldn't find a better player to defend Morant than he did. Payton has a good defensive base, is fast, and has a tough style.
What can the Warriors do without Payton? Cole's response seemed too helpless. According to Warriors reporter Slater, Kerr mentioned 38-year-old veteran Iguodala. Cole said he hopes Iguodala will recover in the coming days and return in the G3 race. That way, they have one more person available on the defensive end, and Iguodala is one of the smartest defenders in the world.
Slater bluntly said that the 38-year-old Iguodala could no longer run and move as he had before, and he could not keep up with Morant like Payton. Morant is too fast and explosive, and Payton can even be said to be one of the few players in the league who can keep up with Morant. Without him, the Warriors would have to use their brains in the coming days to develop a more complex plan to keep an eye on Morant, which may include some selective pockets, and even let The Dream chase go to the main defense of Morant, let the Dream stare at the opposing point guard strategy, which the Warriors have used before.
Wiggins also talked about defending Morant after the game. "Once Morant breaks through to the inside line, it will be very difficult to defend, and we have to try to prevent this from happening." We'll miss him (Payton), he's an elite-level defender, he's great defensively for the Grizzlies and it's tough without him. ”
Kerr said the Warriors will give the players a day off tomorrow and return to training the day after tomorrow. He and the members of the coaching staff also had to study the game footage and find new ways to deal with Morant. The challenge of G3 is already in front of them, can the Warriors without Payton defend Morant?