“Without Gary Payton II, the Warriors wouldn’t have won Game 5!”: LeBron James and NBA Twitter laud GP2 for his sensational production helping Stephen Curry and co. advance to the playoffs’ 2nd round

Advait Jajodia | 28/04/2022
“Without Gary Payton II, the Warriors wouldn’t have won Game 5!”: LeBron James and NBA Twitter laud GP2 for his sensational production helping Stephen Curry and co. advance to the playoffs’ 2nd round

Gary Payton II had a huge performance, putting up several clutch buckets and big-time defensive plays to help GSW knockout the Nuggets from the playoffs.

After being handed a tough loss on Sunday afternoon, the Golden State Warriors bounced back to defeat the Denver Nuggets at the Chase Center. An action-packed thriller that witnessed a total of 7 lead changes, 5 ties, and several runs, ended with the 6-time champions winning Game 5 102-98, knocking out Nikola Jokic and co. from the 2022 playoffs.

Sure, Stephen Curry did have an outstanding performance, scoring 30 points, grabbing 5 rebounds, dishing 5 assists, and stealing the ball twice. However, it was Gary Payton II who played a HUGE role in GSW’s win.

The 6-foot-3 defensive guard, who had quite a forgettable 0-point game on Sunday, came off the bench to record 15 points (2nd highest on the team) alongside 3 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals, and a block while shooting 6/8 from the field and 3/4 from beyond the arc.

Also Read: NBA Twitter reacts as the Warriors brush past Nikola Jokic and the Nuggets

Steve Kerr, LeBron James, and NBA Twitter shower Gary Payton II with love after his game-winning performance

When Steve Kerr was asked to talk about Payton’s contribution tonight, the GSW head coach was all praise for the 29-year-old.

“His defense in the 4th quarter was fantastic. That’s why I stayed with him but then he started making some threes & getting to the rim for layups… he deserved to stay out there with the way he was playing.”

As soon as the game got over, LeBron James took it to Twitter appreciating the undrafted guard’s production from today’s win.

Also Read: Draymond Green was not happy about Nuggets’ Bones Hyland kneeing Otto Porter Jr 

NBA Twitter also exploded with love for Gary.

Now, with the Warriors advancing to the next round in hopes to bring the 7th championship to the city, role players like GP2 will be required to come out strong each game.

Undoubtedly this GSW team looks determined and ready to fight for that esteemed Larry O’Brien hardware.

Post Edited By: Advait Jajodia
Denver Nuggets Gary Payton II Golden State Warriors

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Advait Jajodia

Advait Jajodia, an NBA and Tennis journalist for The SportsRush, has had a passion for both sports for over a decade. His admiration for Kobe Bryant, Stephen Curry, and Rafael Nadal pushed him to gain a profound understanding of the sports. With a background as a multi-sport athlete, Advait uses his experience on the hardwood and the court to offer insightful analysis. Over four years of dedicated sports journalism has equipped the 22-year-old with a unique perspective, reflected in his prolific portfolio of 4,700+ articles.

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