Gary Payton II
GSW • Guard • #0
Stephen Curry, Buddy Hield, Gary Payton II, Jimmy Butler and Draymond Green will start Game 6 on Friday against the Rockets.
The Warriors will take a more defensive approach to their starting lineup for Game 6, as they look to close out the Rockets. Payton will start, replacing Brandin Podziemski in the lineup. Podziemski should still play plenty and can provide offensive firepower off the bench.
1 day ago
May 3, 2025 12:44 AM
More News About Golden State Warriors
Gary Payton II
GSW • Guard • #0
1 day ago
Gary Payton II finished Friday’s Game 6 loss to the Rockets with five points (2-of-5 FGs), three rebounds, one assist, one steal and one three-pointer in 20 minutes.
Warriors coach Steve Kerr started Payton over Brandin Podziemski, with the veteran wing capable of helping out defensively and making the Rockets pay out of the dunker spot. Unfortunately, the change did not result in increased production from either player. Payton shot 40 percent from the field, while Podziemski (10/7/3/1 with two three-pointers) shot 4-of-9. Given how Game 6 played out, it would be unsurprising if Kerr returned to Podziemski as his starter for Game 7 on Sunday.
Jimmy Butler
GSW • • #
1 day ago
Jimmy Butler amassed 27 points (7-of-17 FGs, 12-of-14 FTs), nine rebounds, eight assists, one block and one three-pointer in 42 minutes in a Game 6 loss to the Rockets on Friday.
Only Steven Adams attempted more free throws than Butler in Game 6, and the Rockets’ backup center was being fouled intentionally. Butler was able to attack the basket consistently, but he and Stephen Curry could not do enough to carry the Warriors on a night when many of their rotation players struggled. As a result, Golden State is headed back to Houston to play a Game 7 on Sunday after holding a 3-1 series lead.
Stephen Curry
GSW • Guard • #30
1 day ago
Stephen Curry logged 42 minutes in Friday’s Game 6 loss to the Rockets, scoring 29 points (9-of-23 FGs, 5-of-6 FTs) with seven rebounds, two assists, two steals, one block and six three-pointers.
After not waiting long into the second half of Game 5 to pull the plug, Warriors coach Steve Kerr played his key options heavy minutes on Friday in hopes of ending the series. Unfortunately for him, the move didn’t work, despite the efforts of Curry and Jimmy Butler. They combined to score 56 points, but the other three starters combined 13 on 5-of-17 shooting. The Rockets have used multiple approaches to defending Curry, and while the numbers have remained, his efficiency has taken a hit in the last two games. He’ll look to rebound in Game 7 on Sunday.
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Fred VanVleet
HOU • Guard • #5
1 day ago
Fred VanVleet shot 7-of-13 from the field and 9-of-9 from the foul line in a Game 6 win over the Warriors on Friday, scoring 29 points with eight rebounds, eight assists and six three-pointers in 40 minutes.
After scoring 17 points or less in the series’ first three games, VanVleet has kicked things up a notch at the right time. He’s scored 25 or more in three straight, shooting over 50 percent from the field in each outing. Due to VanVleet’s performance on Friday, the Rockets will host a Game 7 on Sunday. While he hasn’t been the most consistent shooter, VanVleet has a history of stepping up in big moments. With his team trailing three games to one, the veteran point guard made good on that reputation in Games 5 and 6.
Damian Lillard
MIL • Guard • #0
1 day ago
Damian Lillard (Achilles) underwent a successful surgical procedure on Friday.
Lillard suffered a season-ending Achilles tendon tear during the Bucks’ loss to the Pacers in Game 4 of their series on Sunday. He remains without a recovery timeline, but the assumption is that Lillard will miss a significant portion of the 2025-26 season. His status impacts Milwaukee’s entire rotation and approach to the offseason, as the franchise heads into the summer with limited assets to help strengthen the squad.
Source: Milwaukee Bucks
Austin Reaves
LAL • Guard • #15
1 day ago
Lakers Nation’s Trevor Lane reported that Austin Reaves suffered a sprained left big toe during the first-round series against the Timberwolves.
While Reaves reached double figures in all five games of the series, his production shifted offensively after the first two games. According to Lane, the Lakers guard injured his toe during Game 3, impacting Reaves on both ends of the floor. In the first two games, 13 of Reaves’ 27 field goal attempts were three-pointers. In Games 3 through 5, 33 of his 46 attempts came from beyond the arc. He could not be as explosive as needed off the dribble, which factored into the Lakers dropping the series’ final three games. With the early elimination, Reaves will have ample time to recover ahead of the 2025-26 season.
Source: Trevor Lane