The Warriors player who had Stephen Curry in disbelief during career-high game
Yesterday at 11:51 AM
The Golden State Warriors are riding high as they continue to play well in the wake of the Jimmy Butler trade. Monday night brought more excitement for the Warriors in a 130-120 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers. Not only did Butler record his first triple-double in a Dubs uniform, but Gary Payton II scored a career-high 26 points off the bench.
Two of those points had Warriors star Stephen Curry in disbelief on the bench. After Payton stuffed himself on the rim on a layup attempt, he gathered the ball again and flung it up over the giant Donovan Clingan for a bucket. Cut to Curry and Brandin Podziemski on the bench:
Steph Curry's reaction after this Gary Payton II bucket pic.twitter.com/IskRi9it2E
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) March 11, 2025
Payton’s previous career high was 25 points way back in 2018. The veteran was all over the court in this game, and in addition to this circus shot, he made four of his six 3-point attempts. The bulldog defender isn’t usually known for his offense, and especially not his jumper, but he had it going against Portland.
Warriors rolling with Butler
The Warriors are now 12-1 with Jimmy Butler in the lineup, and Gary Payton II spoke about Butler’s fit after Monday’s win.
"I like playing with Jimmy,” Payton said. “Jimmy's fun to play with. Another guy that demands a lot of attention."
GP2: "I like playing with Jimmy. Jimmy's fun to play with. Another guy that demands a lot of attention." pic.twitter.com/thzUlnxcRk
— 95.7 The Game (@957thegame) March 11, 2025
Butler had 15 points, 10 rebounds, 10 assists and three steals on Monday night. While he’s not putting up massive numbers with his new team, the impact he’s making on the Warriors is huge. He’s especially helpful stabilizing lineups when Stephen Curry is on the bench.
The arrival of Butler has reinvigorated a Dubs team that looked dead in the water earlier this season. The vibes are good as Golden State tries to make its way up the Western Conference standings. The 37-28 record is good for sixth in the West, though the Minnesota Timberwolves and Los Angeles Clippers are right there in a battle for that last guaranteed playoff spot.
It’s going to be a tight race the rest of the way, but the Warriors will be in good shape if they keep getting performances from role players like they did from Gary Payton II (and Buddy Hield) on Monday night.
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