Warriors React to Massive Contribution from Gary Payton II in Game 5

The Warriors were pleasantly surprised to see Gary Payton II look like a seasoned veteran in the final moments of Game 5 against the Denver Nuggets.

Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports

In an attempt to come back from a double-digit lead against a desperate Denver Nuggets team, the Golden State Warriors needed an extra bit of juice apart from the usual suspects.

As Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson took the reins to keep the Warriors ahead in the final minutes of the fourth quarter, it was Gary Payton II who stepped up to give Golden State the final push it needed.

With 15 points in 26 minutes of play, Payton II proved to be a key component to Golden State’s 102-98 Game 5 win that clinched its first round series over the Nuggets. Payton II's coach and teammates reacted to his contributions after the game.

“I don’t even know how to begin on that one,” head coach Steve Kerr said when asked to describe Payton II’s efforts. “I thought he was just a huge factor in the game and he deserved to stay out there the way he was playing… He came through big time.”

For Payton II, who had his father and Oakland legend Gary Payton Sr. sitting courtside, Wednesday night seemed like just another game. One would be hard-pressed to realize just by looking at the face of the first-year Warrior that it was, indeed, a playoff game.

Starting with his smothering style of defense, Payton II was able to record 2 steals against a Nuggets team that committed 14 turnovers in the game. And standing just 6-foot-3, the Oregon State product collecte a trio of rebounds — two of which coming in the fourth quarter as the Warriors were being hammered on the offensive glass.

Considering the series against Denver was his first-ever experience playing in the NBA Playoffs, Payton II appeared to be a veteran on the floor.

“He doesn’t seem too phased by anything,” Kerr said. “I guess when you’ve bounced around like he has — been in the G League, played on 10-day contracts — there’s a lot more pressure in that than there is in playing in a high-stakes game.”

Payton II’s real mark on the game came in the fourth quarter as Golden State attempted to get over the hump and take its first lead of the half after falling behind by as many as 10 points. Knocking down a 3-pointer in the corner, he gave Golden State an 86-84 lead with 6:57 to play.

⚡ Gary Payton II made key play after key play down the stretch for the @warriors on both ends of the floor to claim the Game 5 win and advance to the Western Conference Semifinals! #DubNation pic.twitter.com/Phf9JcbgBQ

— NBA (@NBA) April 28, 2022

Then, as the Warriors clung to a two point lead with just over a minute remaining in the game, Payton II hit the shot of the night — a wing 3-pointer after picking the ball off of the ground as the shot clock was primed to expire.

“You knew he was capable of doing that,” Curry said. “He made those two clutch threes so what he gives us on defense is amazing already and then when you put teams in different positions on offense when they’re defending us and he’s roaming around all over the place and using his quickness to his advantage, it’s pretty impactful.”

As the Warriors prepare to take on either the Minnesota Timberwolves or the Memphis Grizzlies in the next round, knowing they have a defensive monster and an offensive wildcard in their back pocket may prove to be immeasurably important.

Undoubtedly, though, Game 5 showed just what Gary Payton II could produce for a Golden State franchise on the hunt for another championship this season.

“The playoffs bring the best and the worst out of you,” Curry said. “It’s in his DNA and he looked very composed out there in a very big moment.”