Gary Payton II return for WCF a ‘long shot’, says ‘no hard feelings’
with Brooks
Golden State Warriors' Gary Payton II could return for the Western
Conference Finals; says there's no bad blood with Dillon Brooks
>SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA – MAY 13: Golden State Warriors’ Gary
Payton II (0) holds his left elbow during a timeout in the fourth
quarter of Game 6 of a second-round NBA basketball playoff series at
Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Friday, May 13, 2022. The
Golden State Warriors defeated the Memphis Grizzlies 110-96. (Jose
Carlos Fajardo/Bay Area News Group)
>SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA – MAY 13: Golden State Warriors’ Gary Payton
II (0) holds his left elbow during a timeout in the fourth quarter of
Game 6 of a second-round NBA basketball playoff series at Chase Center
in San Francisco, Calif., on Friday, May 13, 2022. The Golden State
Warriors defeated the Memphis Grizzlies 110-96. (Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay
Area News Group)
By SHAYNA RUBIN | srubin@bayareanewsgroup.com | Bay Area News Group
PUBLISHED: May 15, 2022 at 2:55 p.m. | UPDATED: May 15, 2022 at 3:04 p.m.
https://www.eastbaytimes.com/2022/05/15/gary-payton-ii-return-for-wcf-a-long-shot-says-no-hard-feelings-with-brooks/

SAN FRANCISCO — Gary Payton II, out with a fractured left elbow and
ligament damage, could return at some point during the Western
Conference Finals, coach Steve Kerr said Sunday.

Though there are no assurances that Payton will heal in time to play,
the 29-year-old is making progress and is expected to be re-evaluated on
May 19, which is the day between Game 1 and 2 of the WCF — opponent to
be determined between Phoenix and Dallas, who play Game 7 on Sunday night.

And though the re-evaluation is fast approaching, Kerr played down the
odds that Payton will play in the penultimate series.

“We’re not saying he’s going to play, either,” Kerr said. “It would be a
long shot for him to play, but I think it’s a possibility.”

Payton broke his elbow on a hard fall when Dillon Brooks committed a
hard foul on a fast break layup attempt early during Game 2 of the
Western Conference semifinal in Memphis. Payton said he thought he
hyperextended his elbow and attempted his free throws thinking he’d be
returning to the game. But x-rays eventually revealed a fracture, ruling
him out for at least three weeks.

Payton, speaking for the first time since his injury, harbors no ill
will toward Brooks, who reached out.

“We talked, it’s all good,” Payton said. “It’s a basketball play, I know
he didn’t mean it. No hard feelings, no bad blood, it’s all good. It’s
playoff basketball.”

Brooks was slapped with a Flagrant 2 foul and an automatic ejection
after the foul. He was suspended for Game 3, a game the Warriors won
handily. But Kerr’s comment that Brooks “broke the code” on the hard
foul stirred up controversy around the series that snowballed into a
contentious back-and-forth between both sides.

Payton was not wearing a brace on his left elbow while he took questions
from media on Sunday, saying he’s been doing some strength and
conditioning and any activity he can that does not require his left
shooting elbow. A couple weeks off for Payton should not hinder his
conditioning, but he’s keeping up with what he can. All he needs to play
now: More time to heal.

“Getting better every day, it’s feeling better every day. But it’s gonna
take time,” Payton said. “We’re not trying to put a date on when I can
or when I can’t or whatever.”

Should Payton return for the conference finals, he would be a crucial
element to the Warriors’ defensive attack — especially in a potential
match-up defending Devin Booker and Chris Paul should they play Phoenix.

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Shayna Rubin | Oakland Athletics reporter