There was plenty of conversation surrounding flagrant fouls following Draymond Green’s ejection in Game 1 of the second-round series between the Golden State Warriors and Memphis Grizzlies. It did not take much time to spark up once again as Dillon Brooks was ejected just 2:52 into the Game 2 matchup.
Brooks made contact with Gary Payton II’s head in a reckless attempt to stop a fast break. This was a much clearer Flagrant 2 and the attempted block leaves the Warriors with a hole to fill moving forward:
Dillon Brooks' hard foul which led to ejection 👀
Hope it's not too serious for Gary Payton II 🙏pic.twitter.com/6LFao2Q3TU
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPointsApp) May 4, 2022
Steve Kerr offered up some strong words following the ejection and reinforced the message it was a dirty play by Brooks. It is a difficult turn of events for Payton, an undrafted guard who carved out a nice role for himself with the Warriors and brought productive minutes to the team. Payton started the first two games in this matchup for some added defense in the lineup. The injury is an elbow fracture with slight ligament damage and will keep him out at least three weeks.
The Warriors will have no time to feel sorry for themselves with Game 3 coming up on Saturday. Payton established himself as a valuable role player on the team and just had his most successful statistical season. Golden State will need to replace his production, and these three players will need to step up.
*Watch NBA games LIVE with fuboTV (click for free trial)*
Warriors who must step up in Gary Payton II’s absence
1. Draymond Green
Draymond Green has yet to fully find his stride in the series. He was ejected after just 17 minutes of play in Game 1 and spent several minutes in the locker room due to an eye laceration in the second matchup. There is some bad blood brewing in this series:
“It felt really good to flip [the Grizzlies’ fans] off…I’m assuming the cheers was because they know I’ll get fined, great…I make $25M per year I should be just fine.”
🗣 Draymond Green did NOT hold back after Grizzlies booed him post-injury
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPointsApp) May 4, 2022
While he ended with six points, seven assists, and 10 rebounds, Green has more to offer. Green and Payton are both valued largely on the defensive side of the floor.
The Warriors promoted Payton to the starting lineup for a defensive boost against Ja Morant. Green is not best utilized as a primary defender on Morant, but providing the proper help defense will be needed to slow him down. Morant is most comfortable when attacking the basket, so look for Dray to bring a more focused effort on providing the help defense that takes this away. The Warriors have attempted to pack the paint and prevent Morant from attacking but have failed to effectively do so.
Draymond Green must lead the effort in this to prevent Ja from adding another 47-point performance.
There is far more to Jonathan Kuminga’s game than being utilized as a hustle guy. However, for the moment this is what the Warriors need. The 19-year-old has provided solid minutes for Golden State this season and has brought the effort the team needs. Kuminga played 14 minutes in Game 2 and tallied nine points and five rebounds.
The 6’7 rookie has seen increased minutes in this round against the Grizzlies. This is sure to continue given Payton's absence. Kuminga is a talented young player who has not quite put all the pieces together yet, which is to be expected given his youth. Giving him a specific role with limited responsibility will benefit the Warriors right now and will likely benefit Kuminga’s overall game in the long run.
3. Damion Lee
After receiving zero minutes in the final three games of the first-round series, Damion Lee will be given another chance in the rotation. Lee played 8:06 in Game 2, which is the most time he has seen these playoffs by almost double. The Warriors have become known for the number of effective role players they possess, and Lee will likely be the beneficiary of the next-man-up mentality.
Damion Lee is a familiar face within the Warriors organization. He has played the past four seasons with the franchise and averaged 29 minutes with the team in the 2019-20 season. Lee has seen his role shrink throughout the season, so this is a second chance for the 29-year-old. He is a solid complementary piece the Warriors should feel confident about in a pinch.
***
The Golden State Warriors have developed an impressive amount of role players and have a deeper roster than most NBA teams. This depth will be put to the test due to the elbow injury of Gary Payton II, which comes on the heels of Andre Iguodala's injury from last series. There is hope Iguodala will return soon, and if he does, he will be another player the Warriors need to step up to pick up the slack on defense without the Oregon State product in the lineup. Golden State loves talking about #StrengthInNumbers, so now it is time to see it in action.
Follow Us
Subscribe