With nice payday coming, Warriors' Payton wants to stay — but after `getting the dub'
DENVER >> Gary Payton II wasn't sure he would be here.
But as he's done all season, he's proved he belongs in the playoffs and can make an impact on a championship contending team.
“It's just about time,” Payton said Friday after practice.
Payton has written one of the most epic underdog stories in the NBA despite being the namesake of one of the league's most recognizable stars in the 90s. And so far during the playoffs, Payton is continuing to play himself into a nice pay raise this offseason.
Not that he's thinking about that now, with the Warriors on the brink of sweeping the Nuggets. His focus is on winning.
“We worry about all the business stuff after,” he said.
Payton has gone from being the last man on the Warriors' roster to being one of the first players coach Steve Kerr calls on when the starters need to be relieved. That is, when Stephen Curry isn't making a case for being the best sixth man of all time.
Against the Nuggets, Payton has provided a key spark off the bench for Golden State as his presence alone has changed the flow of games. Known for his ballhounding defense, Payton has had two big blocks in this series against reigning MVP Nikola Jokic, including a big one in Game 2, where he stopped the Joker from making a putback bucket.
In Game 3 on Thursday, Payton made an immediate impact, grabbing three rebounds, including two defensive boards, and scoring
five points in his first two minutes. He finished with 11 points on a perfect 4-for-4 shooting and made all three of his 3-point attempts.
“He was great on the ball, his ball pressure. He knocked down open shots early in the game when they decided to keep leaving him
open,” Draymond Green said after the win. “He's been incredible all year though, and to see him continue that through the playoffs… Everybody's not cut out for the playoffs, GP is showing that with his toughness and with the mindset that he has [he is.]