Golden State Warriors guard Gary Payton II was forced to leave Tuesday's showdown with the Orlando Magic after suffering a concerning leg injury.
Late in the third quarter, Payton got injured while trying to avoid a screen from the Magic defense. Video replay of the incident showed the Warriors guard tripping on his own foot and then grabbing his left leg as he sat on the court.
The Dubs quickly called a timeout and subbed him out, with Payton leaving the floor and heading to the locker room.
Gary Payton II went down on his own and headed to the locker room after this play đ
Hope itâs nothing too serious for GPII.
(via @nbcswarriors)pic.twitter.com/iU5ICD6olK
â ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) January 3, 2024
It didn't take long for the Warriors to rule Gary Payton II out for the rest of the night, citing a left hamstring strain as the reason for his exit, per Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report.
While the severity of the injury has yet to be revealed, it's certainly a concerning development considering that Payton himself has just recently returned from a 13-game absence because of a calf issue. GP2 played in their last outing against the Dallas Mavericks, suiting up for roughly 10 minutes in his bid to get back to game shape as soon as possible.
The game with the Magic was another opportunity for him to work his way back up and develop some rhythm after more than a month on the sidelines. He has already played about 11 minutes on Tuesday, recording two points and four rebounds, before his scary exit.
Hopes are high that the Warriors are only taking a cautious approach by ruling out Payton and that his injury isn't really that serious. It's understandable why they wouldn't want to risk him considering that he's just coming back from another lower-body injury.
More details about Payton's status should come after the game and in the coming days when more tests are done. For now, fans can only hope for the best.
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