https://www.nbcsports.com/bayarea/warriors/warriors-burned-odd-call-sit-gary-payton-ii-fourth-vs-lakers

Warriors burned by curious call to sit GP2 in fourth quarter

5H ago
by Monte Poole

LOS ANGELES – When Warriors coach Steve Kerr and his staff review video
of their Game 4 loss to the Lakers, they will find positives and
negatives. They will see things to cheer and things to jeer, and at
least one decision to debate and maybe even regret.

Why did Gary Payton II watch from the bench as a man named Lonnie Walker
IV fried Golden State’s defense to a crisp?

Walker played the entire fourth quarter Monday night, scoring 15 points
on 6-of-9 shooting from the field, including 1 of 3 from deep. His last
two points came on free throws with 15 seconds remaining that gave Los
Angeles a 104-101 victory.

The other 13 came on an array of shots. A 3-pointer over Andrew Wiggins.
A transition layup off a Draymond Green turnover. A midrange jumper off
an Anthony Davis screen that rubbed off Moses Moody. A 22-footer over
Stephen Curry’s outstretched hand. A floater over Wiggins after Curry
was rubbed off by a LeBron James screen. A 15-foot pullup over, once
again, the outstretched hand of Curry.

As Walker kept cooking, it seemed reasonable that Kerr would make the
call for his cooler. His best perimeter defender. Yet each glance toward
Golden State’s bench found Payton seated, watching the Lakers close out
the defending NBA champions and put them on the brink of playoff
elimination.

I asked Kerr afterward if he considered other defensive options to slow
Walker’s scoring rampage.

“Ahh, no,” the coach said.

When I followed up by noting that GP2 played just the first two minutes
of the fourth, Kerr replied with an explanation.

“Gary started the fourth,” he said. “We went to Moses to get another
shooter on the floor. We stayed with that lineup for the two-way
capability.”

Payton, however, was the Warriors' No. 3 scorer in this game, behind
Curry (31 points) and Wiggins (17). His 15 points in 23 minutes were
efficient: 7 of 9 shots from the field, including 1 of 2 from beyond the
arc. His perfect third quarter (nine points, 4 of 4 from the field,
including 1 of 1 from deep) generated much of the momentum that allowed
the Warriors to take an 84-77 lead into the fourth quarter.

After the first two minutes of the final quarter, Payton was gone. He
was in the starting lineup – with Klay Thompson, Curry, Green and
Wiggins – but not the closing lineup. So, he sat with, among others,
Jordan Poole, who was ineffective in his 10 minutes.

“Gary, obviously, starting the game, really gave us a lift,” Kerr said.

The decision to go with Moody was not a bad call, but opting for Payton
seemed to be the more logical call.

Kerr’s reasoning for the decision seemed uncharacteristically curious,
perhaps because the outcome was minutes old, and he clearly was
displeased. Maybe even disgusted.

Those questions were put forward because this seemed like an ideal
situation for Payton. The Warriors acquired him three months ago at the
NBA trade deadline to prevent or ebb these kinds of scoring outbursts,
particularly by opposing guards. They reunited with him, not knowing
when he’d be cleared to play this season. They considered him worth the
risk.

The Warriors thought so much of Payton’s defensive impact, especially on
the ball, that they were willing to wait, fingers crossed, because they
knew the postseason would be a procession of guards who can score.

Kerr’s decision to start Payton in Game 4 was made largely because of
D’Angelo Russell’s work in Game 3. Russell scored LA’s first 11 points,
finishing with 21 points on 13 shots, and the Warriors lost by 30.
Russell scored four points in Game 4. He shot 1 of 10 from the field. He
was not neutralized. He was practically vaporized, with Payton mostly
responsible.

Walker stepped in, scoring 15 of LA’s 27 fourth-quarter points. He was
two points shy of Golden State’s paltry 17 points in the quarter.

“Lonnie Walker came in and made a huge impact,” Kerr conceded. “I don’t
know if he scored all those points in the fourth, but it felt like it.”

He did, Coach. Walker was scoreless through three quarters. Didn’t even
take a shot until the fourth.

It’s all there, on video, 12 minutes that will burn the Warriors for at
least two days and, maybe, much longer.

On 5/9/2023 12:58 PM, Robin Miller wrote:
>
>
> https://www.nbcsports.com/bayarea/warriors/warriors-burned-odd-call-sit-gary-payton-ii-fourth-vs-lakers
>
>
> Warriors burned by curious call to sit GP2 in fourth quarter
>
> 5H ago
> by Monte Poole
>
> LOS ANGELES – When Warriors coach Steve Kerr and his staff review video
> of their Game 4 loss to the Lakers, they will find positives and
> negatives. They will see things to cheer and things to jeer, and at
> least one decision to debate and maybe even regret.
>
> Why did Gary Payton II watch from the bench as a man named Lonnie Walker
> IV fried Golden State’s defense to a crisp?
>
> Walker played the entire fourth quarter Monday night, scoring 15 points
> on 6-of-9 shooting from the field, including 1 of 3 from deep. His last
> two points came on free throws with 15 seconds remaining that gave Los
> Angeles a 104-101 victory.
>
> The other 13 came on an array of shots. A 3-pointer over Andrew Wiggins.
> A transition layup off a Draymond Green turnover. A midrange jumper off
> an Anthony Davis screen that rubbed off Moses Moody. A 22-footer over
> Stephen Curry’s outstretched hand. A floater over Wiggins after Curry
> was rubbed off by a LeBron James screen. A 15-foot pullup over, once
> again, the outstretched hand of Curry.
>
> As Walker kept cooking, it seemed reasonable that Kerr would make the
> call for his cooler. His best perimeter defender. Yet each glance toward
> Golden State’s bench found Payton seated, watching the Lakers close out
> the defending NBA champions and put them on the brink of playoff
> elimination.
>
> I asked Kerr afterward if he considered other defensive options to slow
> Walker’s scoring rampage.
>
> “Ahh, no,” the coach said.
>
> When I followed up by noting that GP2 played just the first two minutes
> of the fourth, Kerr replied with an explanation.
>
> “Gary started the fourth,” he said. “We went to Moses to get another
> shooter on the floor. We stayed with that lineup for the two-way
> capability.”
>
> Payton, however, was the Warriors' No. 3 scorer in this game, behind
> Curry (31 points) and Wiggins (17). His 15 points in 23 minutes were
> efficient: 7 of 9 shots from the field, including 1 of 2 from beyond the
> arc. His perfect third quarter (nine points, 4 of 4 from the field,
> including 1 of 1 from deep) generated much of the momentum that allowed
> the Warriors to take an 84-77 lead into the fourth quarter.
>
> After the first two minutes of the final quarter, Payton was gone. He
> was in the starting lineup – with Klay Thompson, Curry, Green and
> Wiggins – but not the closing lineup. So, he sat with, among others,
> Jordan Poole, who was ineffective in his 10 minutes.
>
> “Gary, obviously, starting the game, really gave us a lift,” Kerr said.
>
> The decision to go with Moody was not a bad call, but opting for Payton
> seemed to be the more logical call.
>
> Kerr’s reasoning for the decision seemed uncharacteristically curious,
> perhaps because the outcome was minutes old, and he clearly was
> displeased. Maybe even disgusted.
>
> Those questions were put forward because this seemed like an ideal
> situation for Payton. The Warriors acquired him three months ago at the
> NBA trade deadline to prevent or ebb these kinds of scoring outbursts,
> particularly by opposing guards. They reunited with him, not knowing
> when he’d be cleared to play this season. They considered him worth the
> risk.
>
> The Warriors thought so much of Payton’s defensive impact, especially on
> the ball, that they were willing to wait, fingers crossed, because they
> knew the postseason would be a procession of guards who can score.
>
> Kerr’s decision to start Payton in Game 4 was made largely because of
> D’Angelo Russell’s work in Game 3. Russell scored LA’s first 11 points,
> finishing with 21 points on 13 shots, and the Warriors lost by 30.
> Russell scored four points in Game 4. He shot 1 of 10 from the field. He
> was not neutralized. He was practically vaporized, with Payton mostly
> responsible.
>
> Walker stepped in, scoring 15 of LA’s 27 fourth-quarter points. He was
> two points shy of Golden State’s paltry 17 points in the quarter.
>
> “Lonnie Walker came in and made a huge impact,” Kerr conceded. “I don’t
> know if he scored all those points in the fourth, but it felt like it.”
>
> He did, Coach. Walker was scoreless through three quarters. Didn’t even
> take a shot until the fourth.
>
> It’s all there, on video, 12 minutes that will burn the Warriors for at
> least two days and, maybe, much longer.
>
I was thinking EXACTLY the same thing as I watched the 4th quarter
unfold. Was Kerr too proud to admit after the game ended that he'd made
a BIG mistake by not getting GPII back into the lineup to stop the
onslaught? I mean, wasn't this the Warriors entire rationale for prying
him away from Portland, to shore up their defense?
--
David Farber
Los Osos, CA

On 5/9/2023 3:54 PM, David Farber wrote:
> On 5/9/2023 12:58 PM, Robin Miller wrote:
>>
>>
>> https://www.nbcsports.com/bayarea/warriors/warriors-burned-odd-call-sit-gary-payton-ii-fourth-vs-lakers
>>
>>
>> Warriors burned by curious call to sit GP2 in fourth quarter
>>
>> 5H ago
>> by Monte Poole
>>
>> ...
>>
>> It’s all there, on video, 12 minutes that will burn the Warriors for
>> at least two days and, maybe, much longer.
>>
> I was thinking EXACTLY the same thing as I watched the 4th quarter
> unfold. Was Kerr too proud to admit after the game ended that he'd made
> a BIG mistake by not getting GPII back into the lineup to stop the
> onslaught? I mean, wasn't this the Warriors entire rationale for prying
> him away from Portland, to shore up their defense?
>
> --
> David Farber
> Los Osos, CA

Agreed. Seems to me Kerr is being outcoached by Ham. But maybe Kerr just
doesn't have the (productive) horses.

-Allen

David Farber wrote:
> On 5/9/2023 12:58 PM, Robin Miller wrote:
>>
>>
>> https://www.nbcsports.com/bayarea/warriors/warriors-burned-odd-call-sit-gary-payton-ii-fourth-vs-lakers
>>
>>
>>
>> Warriors burned by curious call to sit GP2 in fourth quarter
>>
>> 5H ago
>> by Monte Poole
>>
>> LOS ANGELES – When Warriors coach Steve Kerr and his staff review
>> video of their Game 4 loss to the Lakers, they will find positives and
>> negatives. They will see things to cheer and things to jeer, and at
>> least one decision to debate and maybe even regret.
>>
>> Why did Gary Payton II watch from the bench as a man named Lonnie
>> Walker IV fried Golden State’s defense to a crisp?
>>
>> Walker played the entire fourth quarter Monday night, scoring 15
>> points on 6-of-9 shooting from the field, including 1 of 3 from deep.
>> His last two points came on free throws with 15 seconds remaining that
>> gave Los Angeles a 104-101 victory.
>>
>> The other 13 came on an array of shots. A 3-pointer over Andrew
>> Wiggins. A transition layup off a Draymond Green turnover. A midrange
>> jumper off an Anthony Davis screen that rubbed off Moses Moody. A
>> 22-footer over Stephen Curry’s outstretched hand. A floater over
>> Wiggins after Curry was rubbed off by a LeBron James screen. A 15-foot
>> pullup over, once again, the outstretched hand of Curry.
>>
>> As Walker kept cooking, it seemed reasonable that Kerr would make the
>> call for his cooler. His best perimeter defender. Yet each glance
>> toward Golden State’s bench found Payton seated, watching the Lakers
>> close out the defending NBA champions and put them on the brink of
>> playoff elimination.
>>
>> I asked Kerr afterward if he considered other defensive options to
>> slow Walker’s scoring rampage.
>>
>> “Ahh, no,” the coach said.
>>
>> When I followed up by noting that GP2 played just the first two
>> minutes of the fourth, Kerr replied with an explanation.
>>
>> “Gary started the fourth,” he said. “We went to Moses to get another
>> shooter on the floor. We stayed with that lineup for the two-way
>> capability.”
>>
>> Payton, however, was the Warriors' No. 3 scorer in this game, behind
>> Curry (31 points) and Wiggins (17). His 15 points in 23 minutes were
>> efficient: 7 of 9 shots from the field, including 1 of 2 from beyond
>> the arc. His perfect third quarter (nine points, 4 of 4 from the
>> field, including 1 of 1 from deep) generated much of the momentum that
>> allowed the Warriors to take an 84-77 lead into the fourth quarter.
>>
>> After the first two minutes of the final quarter, Payton was gone. He
>> was in the starting lineup – with Klay Thompson, Curry, Green and
>> Wiggins – but not the closing lineup. So, he sat with, among others,
>> Jordan Poole, who was ineffective in his 10 minutes.
>>
>> “Gary, obviously, starting the game, really gave us a lift,” Kerr said.
>>
>> The decision to go with Moody was not a bad call, but opting for
>> Payton seemed to be the more logical call.
>>
>> Kerr’s reasoning for the decision seemed uncharacteristically curious,
>> perhaps because the outcome was minutes old, and he clearly was
>> displeased. Maybe even disgusted.
>>
>> Those questions were put forward because this seemed like an ideal
>> situation for Payton. The Warriors acquired him three months ago at
>> the NBA trade deadline to prevent or ebb these kinds of scoring
>> outbursts, particularly by opposing guards. They reunited with him,
>> not knowing when he’d be cleared to play this season. They considered
>> him worth the risk.
>>
>> The Warriors thought so much of Payton’s defensive impact, especially
>> on the ball, that they were willing to wait, fingers crossed, because
>> they knew the postseason would be a procession of guards who can score.
>>
>> Kerr’s decision to start Payton in Game 4 was made largely because of
>> D’Angelo Russell’s work in Game 3. Russell scored LA’s first 11
>> points, finishing with 21 points on 13 shots, and the Warriors lost by
>> 30. Russell scored four points in Game 4. He shot 1 of 10 from the
>> field. He was not neutralized. He was practically vaporized, with
>> Payton mostly responsible.
>>
>> Walker stepped in, scoring 15 of LA’s 27 fourth-quarter points. He was
>> two points shy of Golden State’s paltry 17 points in the quarter.
>>
>> “Lonnie Walker came in and made a huge impact,” Kerr conceded. “I
>> don’t know if he scored all those points in the fourth, but it felt
>> like it.”
>>
>> He did, Coach. Walker was scoreless through three quarters. Didn’t
>> even take a shot until the fourth.
>>
>> It’s all there, on video, 12 minutes that will burn the Warriors for
>> at least two days and, maybe, much longer.
>>
> I was thinking EXACTLY the same thing as I watched the 4th quarter
> unfold. Was Kerr too proud to admit after the game ended that he'd made
> a BIG mistake by not getting GPII back into the lineup to stop the
> onslaught? I mean, wasn't this the Warriors entire rationale for prying
> him away from Portland, to shore up their defense?
>
> --
> David Farber
> Los Osos, CA

Tim Kawakami was asked this on Twitter, and his response was:

> GP2 turned down an open shot and kerr decided to go with moody to maybe get more of a shooter out there who could also play defense

I do remember that play, when Payton started to line up an open shot
from the corner but then passed it inside, and not much happened.

But he was still the Warriors' third-leading scorer and outscored Moody
15 to 7.

It made no sense.

--Robin

Robin Miller wrote:
> David Farber wrote:
>> On 5/9/2023 12:58 PM, Robin Miller wrote:
>>>
>>>
>>> https://www.nbcsports.com/bayarea/warriors/warriors-burned-odd-call-sit-gary-payton-ii-fourth-vs-lakers
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Warriors burned by curious call to sit GP2 in fourth quarter
>>>
>>> 5H ago
>>> by Monte Poole
>>>
>>> LOS ANGELES – When Warriors coach Steve Kerr and his staff review
>>> video of their Game 4 loss to the Lakers, they will find positives
>>> and negatives. They will see things to cheer and things to jeer, and
>>> at least one decision to debate and maybe even regret.
>>>
>>> Why did Gary Payton II watch from the bench as a man named Lonnie
>>> Walker IV fried Golden State’s defense to a crisp?
>>>
>>> Walker played the entire fourth quarter Monday night, scoring 15
>>> points on 6-of-9 shooting from the field, including 1 of 3 from deep.
>>> His last two points came on free throws with 15 seconds remaining
>>> that gave Los Angeles a 104-101 victory.
>>>
>>> The other 13 came on an array of shots. A 3-pointer over Andrew
>>> Wiggins. A transition layup off a Draymond Green turnover. A midrange
>>> jumper off an Anthony Davis screen that rubbed off Moses Moody. A
>>> 22-footer over Stephen Curry’s outstretched hand. A floater over
>>> Wiggins after Curry was rubbed off by a LeBron James screen. A
>>> 15-foot pullup over, once again, the outstretched hand of Curry.
>>>
>>> As Walker kept cooking, it seemed reasonable that Kerr would make the
>>> call for his cooler. His best perimeter defender. Yet each glance
>>> toward Golden State’s bench found Payton seated, watching the Lakers
>>> close out the defending NBA champions and put them on the brink of
>>> playoff elimination.
>>>
>>> I asked Kerr afterward if he considered other defensive options to
>>> slow Walker’s scoring rampage.
>>>
>>> “Ahh, no,” the coach said.
>>>
>>> When I followed up by noting that GP2 played just the first two
>>> minutes of the fourth, Kerr replied with an explanation.
>>>
>>> “Gary started the fourth,” he said. “We went to Moses to get another
>>> shooter on the floor. We stayed with that lineup for the two-way
>>> capability.”
>>>
>>> Payton, however, was the Warriors' No. 3 scorer in this game, behind
>>> Curry (31 points) and Wiggins (17). His 15 points in 23 minutes were
>>> efficient: 7 of 9 shots from the field, including 1 of 2 from beyond
>>> the arc. His perfect third quarter (nine points, 4 of 4 from the
>>> field, including 1 of 1 from deep) generated much of the momentum
>>> that allowed the Warriors to take an 84-77 lead into the fourth quarter.
>>>
>>> After the first two minutes of the final quarter, Payton was gone. He
>>> was in the starting lineup – with Klay Thompson, Curry, Green and
>>> Wiggins – but not the closing lineup. So, he sat with, among others,
>>> Jordan Poole, who was ineffective in his 10 minutes.
>>>
>>> “Gary, obviously, starting the game, really gave us a lift,” Kerr said.
>>>
>>> The decision to go with Moody was not a bad call, but opting for
>>> Payton seemed to be the more logical call.
>>>
>>> Kerr’s reasoning for the decision seemed uncharacteristically
>>> curious, perhaps because the outcome was minutes old, and he clearly
>>> was displeased. Maybe even disgusted.
>>>
>>> Those questions were put forward because this seemed like an ideal
>>> situation for Payton. The Warriors acquired him three months ago at
>>> the NBA trade deadline to prevent or ebb these kinds of scoring
>>> outbursts, particularly by opposing guards. They reunited with him,
>>> not knowing when he’d be cleared to play this season. They considered
>>> him worth the risk.
>>>
>>> The Warriors thought so much of Payton’s defensive impact, especially
>>> on the ball, that they were willing to wait, fingers crossed, because
>>> they knew the postseason would be a procession of guards who can score.
>>>
>>> Kerr’s decision to start Payton in Game 4 was made largely because of
>>> D’Angelo Russell’s work in Game 3. Russell scored LA’s first 11
>>> points, finishing with 21 points on 13 shots, and the Warriors lost
>>> by 30. Russell scored four points in Game 4. He shot 1 of 10 from the
>>> field. He was not neutralized. He was practically vaporized, with
>>> Payton mostly responsible.
>>>
>>> Walker stepped in, scoring 15 of LA’s 27 fourth-quarter points. He
>>> was two points shy of Golden State’s paltry 17 points in the quarter.
>>>
>>> “Lonnie Walker came in and made a huge impact,” Kerr conceded. “I
>>> don’t know if he scored all those points in the fourth, but it felt
>>> like it.”
>>>
>>> He did, Coach. Walker was scoreless through three quarters. Didn’t
>>> even take a shot until the fourth.
>>>
>>> It’s all there, on video, 12 minutes that will burn the Warriors for
>>> at least two days and, maybe, much longer.
>>>
>> I was thinking EXACTLY the same thing as I watched the 4th quarter
>> unfold. Was Kerr too proud to admit after the game ended that he'd
>> made a BIG mistake by not getting GPII back into the lineup to stop
>> the onslaught? I mean, wasn't this the Warriors entire rationale for
>> prying him away from Portland, to shore up their defense?
>>
>> --
>> David Farber
>> Los Osos, CA
>
>
> Tim Kawakami was asked this on Twitter, and his response was:
>
>> GP2 turned down an open shot and kerr decided to go with moody to
>> maybe get more of a shooter out there who could also play defense
>
>
> I do remember that play, when Payton started to line up an open shot
> from the corner but then passed it inside, and not much happened.
>
> But he was still the Warriors' third-leading scorer and outscored Moody
> 15 to 7.
>
> It made no sense.
>
> --Robin
>

Also, a number of fans have speculated that Payton was sick during the
game, and that that was the reason he bolted off the floor to the
dressing room in the middle of a play during the first quarter. But no
one has asked Kerr about that.

--Robin

On 5/9/2023 7:41 PM, Robin Miller wrote:
> Robin Miller wrote:
>> David Farber wrote:
>>> On 5/9/2023 12:58 PM, Robin Miller wrote:
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> https://www.nbcsports.com/bayarea/warriors/warriors-burned-odd-call-sit-gary-payton-ii-fourth-vs-lakers
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Warriors burned by curious call to sit GP2 in fourth quarter
>>>>
>>>> 5H ago
>>>> by Monte Poole
>>>>
>>>> LOS ANGELES – When Warriors coach Steve Kerr and his staff review
>>>> video of their Game 4 loss to the Lakers, they will find positives
>>>> and negatives. They will see things to cheer and things to jeer, and
>>>> at least one decision to debate and maybe even regret.
>>>>
>>>> Why did Gary Payton II watch from the bench as a man named Lonnie
>>>> Walker IV fried Golden State’s defense to a crisp?
>>>>
>>>> Walker played the entire fourth quarter Monday night, scoring 15
>>>> points on 6-of-9 shooting from the field, including 1 of 3 from
>>>> deep. His last two points came on free throws with 15 seconds
>>>> remaining that gave Los Angeles a 104-101 victory.
>>>>
>>>> The other 13 came on an array of shots. A 3-pointer over Andrew
>>>> Wiggins. A transition layup off a Draymond Green turnover. A
>>>> midrange jumper off an Anthony Davis screen that rubbed off Moses
>>>> Moody. A 22-footer over Stephen Curry’s outstretched hand. A floater
>>>> over Wiggins after Curry was rubbed off by a LeBron James screen. A
>>>> 15-foot pullup over, once again, the outstretched hand of Curry.
>>>>
>>>> As Walker kept cooking, it seemed reasonable that Kerr would make
>>>> the call for his cooler. His best perimeter defender. Yet each
>>>> glance toward Golden State’s bench found Payton seated, watching the
>>>> Lakers close out the defending NBA champions and put them on the
>>>> brink of playoff elimination.
>>>>
>>>> I asked Kerr afterward if he considered other defensive options to
>>>> slow Walker’s scoring rampage.
>>>>
>>>> “Ahh, no,” the coach said.
>>>>
>>>> When I followed up by noting that GP2 played just the first two
>>>> minutes of the fourth, Kerr replied with an explanation.
>>>>
>>>> “Gary started the fourth,” he said. “We went to Moses to get another
>>>> shooter on the floor. We stayed with that lineup for the two-way
>>>> capability.”
>>>>
>>>> Payton, however, was the Warriors' No. 3 scorer in this game, behind
>>>> Curry (31 points) and Wiggins (17). His 15 points in 23 minutes were
>>>> efficient: 7 of 9 shots from the field, including 1 of 2 from beyond
>>>> the arc. His perfect third quarter (nine points, 4 of 4 from the
>>>> field, including 1 of 1 from deep) generated much of the momentum
>>>> that allowed the Warriors to take an 84-77 lead into the fourth
>>>> quarter.
>>>>
>>>> After the first two minutes of the final quarter, Payton was gone.
>>>> He was in the starting lineup – with Klay Thompson, Curry, Green and
>>>> Wiggins – but not the closing lineup. So, he sat with, among others,
>>>> Jordan Poole, who was ineffective in his 10 minutes.
>>>>
>>>> “Gary, obviously, starting the game, really gave us a lift,” Kerr said.
>>>>
>>>> The decision to go with Moody was not a bad call, but opting for
>>>> Payton seemed to be the more logical call.
>>>>
>>>> Kerr’s reasoning for the decision seemed uncharacteristically
>>>> curious, perhaps because the outcome was minutes old, and he clearly
>>>> was displeased. Maybe even disgusted.
>>>>
>>>> Those questions were put forward because this seemed like an ideal
>>>> situation for Payton. The Warriors acquired him three months ago at
>>>> the NBA trade deadline to prevent or ebb these kinds of scoring
>>>> outbursts, particularly by opposing guards. They reunited with him,
>>>> not knowing when he’d be cleared to play this season. They
>>>> considered him worth the risk.
>>>>
>>>> The Warriors thought so much of Payton’s defensive impact,
>>>> especially on the ball, that they were willing to wait, fingers
>>>> crossed, because they knew the postseason would be a procession of
>>>> guards who can score.
>>>>
>>>> Kerr’s decision to start Payton in Game 4 was made largely because
>>>> of D’Angelo Russell’s work in Game 3. Russell scored LA’s first 11
>>>> points, finishing with 21 points on 13 shots, and the Warriors lost
>>>> by 30. Russell scored four points in Game 4. He shot 1 of 10 from
>>>> the field. He was not neutralized. He was practically vaporized,
>>>> with Payton mostly responsible.
>>>>
>>>> Walker stepped in, scoring 15 of LA’s 27 fourth-quarter points. He
>>>> was two points shy of Golden State’s paltry 17 points in the quarter.
>>>>
>>>> “Lonnie Walker came in and made a huge impact,” Kerr conceded. “I
>>>> don’t know if he scored all those points in the fourth, but it felt
>>>> like it.”
>>>>
>>>> He did, Coach. Walker was scoreless through three quarters. Didn’t
>>>> even take a shot until the fourth.
>>>>
>>>> It’s all there, on video, 12 minutes that will burn the Warriors for
>>>> at least two days and, maybe, much longer.
>>>>
>>> I was thinking EXACTLY the same thing as I watched the 4th quarter
>>> unfold. Was Kerr too proud to admit after the game ended that he'd
>>> made a BIG mistake by not getting GPII back into the lineup to stop
>>> the onslaught? I mean, wasn't this the Warriors entire rationale for
>>> prying him away from Portland, to shore up their defense?
>>>
>>> --
>>> David Farber
>>> Los Osos, CA
>>
>>
>> Tim Kawakami was asked this on Twitter, and his response was:
>>
>>> GP2 turned down an open shot and kerr decided to go with moody to
>>> maybe get more of a shooter out there who could also play defense
>>
>>
>> I do remember that play, when Payton started to line up an open shot
>> from the corner but then passed it inside, and not much happened.
>>
>> But he was still the Warriors' third-leading scorer and outscored
>> Moody 15 to 7.
>>
>> It made no sense.
>>
>> --Robin
>>
>
>
> Also, a number of fans have speculated that Payton was sick during the
> game, and that that was the reason he bolted off the floor to the
> dressing room in the middle of a play during the first quarter. But no
> one has asked Kerr about that.
>
> --Robin
>
I find it especially strange that not one reporter asked about the play
in the first quarter where Draymond passed the ball to a place where GP2
was supposed to be (I'm giving Draymond the benefit of the doubt here)
and it landed into the hands of a Laker coach because GP2 had already
vacated the court. I've been watching NBA games since the 1960's and I
can't ever recall a time when a player stealthily(?) *ran* off the court
when the game clock was running. Maybe GP2 had the "runs"? (no pun intended)
--
David Farber
Los Osos, CA

David Farber wrote:
> On 5/9/2023 7:41 PM, Robin Miller wrote:
>> Robin Miller wrote:
>>> David Farber wrote:
>>>> On 5/9/2023 12:58 PM, Robin Miller wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> https://www.nbcsports.com/bayarea/warriors/warriors-burned-odd-call-sit-gary-payton-ii-fourth-vs-lakers
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> Warriors burned by curious call to sit GP2 in fourth quarter
>>>>>
>>>>> 5H ago
>>>>> by Monte Poole
>>>>>
>>>>> LOS ANGELES – When Warriors coach Steve Kerr and his staff review
>>>>> video of their Game 4 loss to the Lakers, they will find positives
>>>>> and negatives. They will see things to cheer and things to jeer,
>>>>> and at least one decision to debate and maybe even regret.
>>>>>
>>>>> Why did Gary Payton II watch from the bench as a man named Lonnie
>>>>> Walker IV fried Golden State’s defense to a crisp?
>>>>>
>>>>> Walker played the entire fourth quarter Monday night, scoring 15
>>>>> points on 6-of-9 shooting from the field, including 1 of 3 from
>>>>> deep. His last two points came on free throws with 15 seconds
>>>>> remaining that gave Los Angeles a 104-101 victory.
>>>>>
>>>>> The other 13 came on an array of shots. A 3-pointer over Andrew
>>>>> Wiggins. A transition layup off a Draymond Green turnover. A
>>>>> midrange jumper off an Anthony Davis screen that rubbed off Moses
>>>>> Moody. A 22-footer over Stephen Curry’s outstretched hand. A
>>>>> floater over Wiggins after Curry was rubbed off by a LeBron James
>>>>> screen. A 15-foot pullup over, once again, the outstretched hand of
>>>>> Curry.
>>>>>
>>>>> As Walker kept cooking, it seemed reasonable that Kerr would make
>>>>> the call for his cooler. His best perimeter defender. Yet each
>>>>> glance toward Golden State’s bench found Payton seated, watching
>>>>> the Lakers close out the defending NBA champions and put them on
>>>>> the brink of playoff elimination.
>>>>>
>>>>> I asked Kerr afterward if he considered other defensive options to
>>>>> slow Walker’s scoring rampage.
>>>>>
>>>>> “Ahh, no,” the coach said.
>>>>>
>>>>> When I followed up by noting that GP2 played just the first two
>>>>> minutes of the fourth, Kerr replied with an explanation.
>>>>>
>>>>> “Gary started the fourth,” he said. “We went to Moses to get
>>>>> another shooter on the floor. We stayed with that lineup for the
>>>>> two-way capability.”
>>>>>
>>>>> Payton, however, was the Warriors' No. 3 scorer in this game,
>>>>> behind Curry (31 points) and Wiggins (17). His 15 points in 23
>>>>> minutes were efficient: 7 of 9 shots from the field, including 1 of
>>>>> 2 from beyond the arc. His perfect third quarter (nine points, 4 of
>>>>> 4 from the field, including 1 of 1 from deep) generated much of the
>>>>> momentum that allowed the Warriors to take an 84-77 lead into the
>>>>> fourth quarter.
>>>>>
>>>>> After the first two minutes of the final quarter, Payton was gone.
>>>>> He was in the starting lineup – with Klay Thompson, Curry, Green
>>>>> and Wiggins – but not the closing lineup. So, he sat with, among
>>>>> others, Jordan Poole, who was ineffective in his 10 minutes.
>>>>>
>>>>> “Gary, obviously, starting the game, really gave us a lift,” Kerr
>>>>> said.
>>>>>
>>>>> The decision to go with Moody was not a bad call, but opting for
>>>>> Payton seemed to be the more logical call.
>>>>>
>>>>> Kerr’s reasoning for the decision seemed uncharacteristically
>>>>> curious, perhaps because the outcome was minutes old, and he
>>>>> clearly was displeased. Maybe even disgusted.
>>>>>
>>>>> Those questions were put forward because this seemed like an ideal
>>>>> situation for Payton. The Warriors acquired him three months ago at
>>>>> the NBA trade deadline to prevent or ebb these kinds of scoring
>>>>> outbursts, particularly by opposing guards. They reunited with him,
>>>>> not knowing when he’d be cleared to play this season. They
>>>>> considered him worth the risk.
>>>>>
>>>>> The Warriors thought so much of Payton’s defensive impact,
>>>>> especially on the ball, that they were willing to wait, fingers
>>>>> crossed, because they knew the postseason would be a procession of
>>>>> guards who can score.
>>>>>
>>>>> Kerr’s decision to start Payton in Game 4 was made largely because
>>>>> of D’Angelo Russell’s work in Game 3. Russell scored LA’s first 11
>>>>> points, finishing with 21 points on 13 shots, and the Warriors lost
>>>>> by 30. Russell scored four points in Game 4. He shot 1 of 10 from
>>>>> the field. He was not neutralized. He was practically vaporized,
>>>>> with Payton mostly responsible.
>>>>>
>>>>> Walker stepped in, scoring 15 of LA’s 27 fourth-quarter points. He
>>>>> was two points shy of Golden State’s paltry 17 points in the quarter.
>>>>>
>>>>> “Lonnie Walker came in and made a huge impact,” Kerr conceded. “I
>>>>> don’t know if he scored all those points in the fourth, but it felt
>>>>> like it.”
>>>>>
>>>>> He did, Coach. Walker was scoreless through three quarters. Didn’t
>>>>> even take a shot until the fourth.
>>>>>
>>>>> It’s all there, on video, 12 minutes that will burn the Warriors
>>>>> for at least two days and, maybe, much longer.
>>>>>
>>>> I was thinking EXACTLY the same thing as I watched the 4th quarter
>>>> unfold. Was Kerr too proud to admit after the game ended that he'd
>>>> made a BIG mistake by not getting GPII back into the lineup to stop
>>>> the onslaught? I mean, wasn't this the Warriors entire rationale for
>>>> prying him away from Portland, to shore up their defense?
>>>>
>>>> --
>>>> David Farber
>>>> Los Osos, CA
>>>
>>>
>>> Tim Kawakami was asked this on Twitter, and his response was:
>>>
>>>> GP2 turned down an open shot and kerr decided to go with moody to
>>>> maybe get more of a shooter out there who could also play defense
>>>
>>>
>>> I do remember that play, when Payton started to line up an open shot
>>> from the corner but then passed it inside, and not much happened.
>>>
>>> But he was still the Warriors' third-leading scorer and outscored
>>> Moody 15 to 7.
>>>
>>> It made no sense.
>>>
>>> --Robin
>>>
>>
>>
>> Also, a number of fans have speculated that Payton was sick during the
>> game, and that that was the reason he bolted off the floor to the
>> dressing room in the middle of a play during the first quarter. But no
>> one has asked Kerr about that.
>>
>> --Robin
>>
> I find it especially strange that not one reporter asked about the play
> in the first quarter where Draymond passed the ball to a place where GP2
> was supposed to be (I'm giving Draymond the benefit of the doubt here)
> and it landed into the hands of a Laker coach because GP2 had already
> vacated the court. I've been watching NBA games since the 1960's and I
> can't ever recall a time when a player stealthily(?) *ran* off the court
> when the game clock was running. Maybe GP2 had the "runs"? (no pun
> intended)
>
> --
> David Farber
> Los Osos, CA

Yes, that's the play I'm talking about. There is fan speculation that he
was suffering from whatever illness Looney had, but no reporter has
asked about that. That in itself is weird, since Payton's absence was so
glaring after he ran off the court.