It's been a rough season for Gary Payton II. In this short season, he's already missed eight games and has been injured for the last four straight games. The Warriors have an update on his progress, which should hopefully get better as the week progresses.
According to Ron Kroichick of the SF Chronicle, Gary Payton has been working hard on the stationary bike and will be re-evaluated later this week. Below is some footage of him working on the bike.
This season in 14 games, Gary Payton II is averaging 5.9 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 1.2 steals on 48/32/67 shooting. Even though Payton is no longer starting, his presence would certainly help with the Warriors' defense this season. The Golden State Warriors are currently ranked 19th in defensive rating and have blown multiple 20-point leads in just the last five games. Having Gary Payton II back in the lineup will definitely assist the team in increasing that number and also with all of the blown leads.
Up next for the Golden State Warriors is the Phoenix Suns on Tuesday night. Phoenix already has a 2-0 regular season series lead against the Warriors, with both games being nailbiters. A win against the Suns is something that the Warriors could use from not only a morale standpoint, but it's also necessary from a record statement.
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