Getty Gary Payton II of the Golden State Warriors.
The Golden State Warriors headed north on April 9, to play their final game of the regular season against the Portland Trail Blazers.
Sunday’s meeting marked Gary Payton II’s first game against Portland since being traded back to the Dubs ahead of this year’s deadline. After winning a title with Golden State last spring, Payton II decided to join the Blazers as a free agent over the summer.
Prior to tipoff, Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups sounded off on his former player, highlighting his tremendous fit with Golden State.
“Gary’s done what he does,” Billups said via NBC Sports Bay Area, before the regular season finale between his Trail Blazers and the Warriors.. “He’s the guy that’s gonna do all the smart little defensive things. But then offensively, he knows how to get Steph [Curry] shots and Klay [Thompson] shots and Jordan [Poole] shots. He’s getting offensive rebounds and kicking it out real quick for threes. He just knows how to play. Those three guys in particular benefit from having Gary on the team,” Billups said. “He’s fit back in very simply there.”
Since rejoining the Warriors, Payton II has appeared in six games. He’s averaged 6 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 0.7 assists per game, while playing about 15.3 minutes each time. The 30-year-old has been extremely efficient for the Dubs. He’s knocked down 62.5% of his attempts from the field, and 44.4% from beyond the arc.
Draymond Green Excited to Have Gary Payton II Back With Warriors
Payton II’s teammates are certainly happy to have him back in the Bay. Star Warriors forward Draymond Green recently discussed the Oregon State Alumni’s return to the team.
“Having GP back! Number one, just to see GP back out on the floor with us was great,” Green said on the March 28 episode of “The Draymond Green Show.” “I think with that comes rotations and figuring out the pieces. What rotations, what lineups are best together when adding GP back into the fold. That’ll take a few games to figure out. It always feels a bit better when you can figure those things out in a win. And quite frankly, like I said, we should have been doing that. But, that’s not the case. So, just get back to the drawing board and continue to figure those things out.”
Splash Bros Discuss Gary Payton II’s Return to the Warriors
Star guards Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson had similar praise for Payton II, after his season debut with the Dubs on March 26.
“He just brings a different element – obviously defensively – but he’s just so in sync with what we do,” Curry told reporters via the NBA Interviews YouTube channel.
Thompson later shared that he was thrilled to see fans give Payton II a warm welcome back to Chase Center, in his debut against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
“It was great having Gary back,” Thompson said via the NBA Interviews YouTube Channel. “I was really happy with the ovation he got because he earned it. He was a huge part of what we did last year and why we’re the champs. And I know he will be again this year.”