On May 5, Beijing time, according to NBA celebrity Shams, the results of Peyton Jr.'s examination were left elbow fracture + ligament injury, at least 3 weeks absent. Another reporter, Chris Haynes, revealed that Payton Jr. was absent for at least 3-5 weeks. It also means that he is reimbursed for this series, and if the Warriors can qualify, Peyton Jr. is expected to make a comeback in the Finals.
In the Warriors and Grizzlies series G2, less than 3 minutes into the opening, Peyton Jr. was hit in the head by Dillon on a fast attack, losing his balance and falling to the ground. The referee blew Dillon for a second-degree malicious foul and was directly expelled. According to ESPN, the NBA will decide whether to punish Dillon further, and he may be banned.
Today Little Payton wrote on a personal ins: "Thank you all for your care and love, no big deal, I will be back!" In series G1, Payton Jr. played 23 minutes, 4 of 5 shooting, 8 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal and 1 block. Not only did he lock bane during the game, but he also teamed up with Clay to prevent Morant's final layup.
Not counting the injury game, Payton Jr. played six playoff games this season, averaging 18 minutes per game, with 7 points, 3.3 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 1 steal, 0.8 blocks, shooting 72.7% from the field and 75% from three-point range. Payton Jr.'s contribution on the defensive end is not reflected in these data, he is too important to the Warriors!
In the regular season, Peyton Jr. played in 71 regular season games for the Warriors, averaging 17.6 minutes per game, scoring 7.1 points, 3.5 rebounds, 1 assist and 1.4 steals, shooting 61.6% from the field, 35.8% from three-point range and 60.3% from the free throw line. In addition, Payton Jr.'s defensive efficiency is 102.3, ranking first in the league!
Many fans think that Payton Jr. is still young, but in fact he was born on December 1, 1992, and is about to turn 30 years old. Payton Jr. attended Oregon State University and was named Pac-12 League Defensive Player of the Year for two consecutive seasons. Unfortunately, his team is too weak, coupled with the 23-year-old peyton jr., the 2016 draft finally lost.
In September 2016, the Rockets gave Payton Jr. a contract, which was later cut, and Payton Jr. was sent to the Development League. In the 2016-17 season, he had a highlight performance of 51 points and 11 rebounds in a single game in the development league, which also impressed the NBA team. In October 2017, the Bucks gave Payton Jr. a two-way contract, and two months later he was cut again.
In January 2018, the Lakers gave Payton Jr. a two-way contract, and in the finale of the regular season, he played a highlight performance of 25 points and 12 rebounds in a single game. Even so, the Lakers still did not renew Payton Jr.'s contract. In the next two seasons, he went to the Blazers and Wizards, and returned to the development league to play for a period of time, which can be described as turbulent.
On April 8, 2021, the Warriors gave Payton Jr. a 10-day contract, and then gave him a second 10-day contract, and Peyton Jr. finally found his own place! Before the start of the season, the Warriors cut Payton Jr. because his $1.9 million contract was about to be partially guaranteed. Three days later, no team claimed Payton Jr., and the Warriors signed him back.
The Warriors gave Payton Jr. a one-year pay contract for only $350,000. This guy is not easy: 4 times cuts, 5 basic salaries, 3 10-day contracts, 2 two-way contracts, from 2016 to now, he finally succeeded in the NBA. This year is the first playoff trip of Peyton Jr.'s career, and I didn't expect injuries to come to the door...
Peyton Jr. defended hard enough, the action was clean, and there were countless fans this season! Finally, I hope he can recover soon!