Injuries are an unfortunate part of the game. For the Golden State Warriors, they’ve been through several situations this season with injuries, as Stephen Curry has missed some time and Jonathan Kuminga missed a lot of time.
Stephen Curry missed the last few games for the Warriors, but he should be back in the lineup when the Warriors take on the New Orleans Pelicans. Unfortunately for the Warriors, they will be down a valuable rotation player as they head into New Orleans.
Gary Payton II Out With Thumb Injury
While the timeline isn’t known just yet, Payton will be sidelined with a thumb injury. Oftentimes, players can play through thumb and finger injuries depending on the severity of it. The severity of this injury is not known at the time, but the Warriors do expect Payton to need to miss some time.
Payton has been valuable for the Warriors in his time this season, providing a spark off the bench as an elite cutter to the basket, great defensive awareness, and a surprise shooting threat since All-Star break.
Gary Payton II has suffered a thumb injury, per sources. Warriors still trying to figure out extent/return timeline, but they anticipate Payton will miss some amount of time. A blow to their rotation. He’s been averaging 20+ minutes lately.
— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) March 27, 2025
The Warriors will likely turn to their bench to replace Payton’s workload, but there will be one name that most fans look towards in his absence: Jonathan Kuminga.
Kuminga has struggled since returning to the lineup, but extended minutes often allow him to get into rhythm. If Kuminga can recapture the form he had prior to his injury, this would spell good things for the Warriors as they work to make the playoffs.
Can The Warriors Make The Playoffs?
Following their two losses to the Miami Heat and Atlanta Hawks to start a pivotal road trip, the Warriors have fallen to the 7th seed. While this guarantees them two chances at the play-in, there is no guarantee they will make the playoffs.
Kuminga’s ability to find his rhythm will be critical to their success, as they need an athletic scorer to help them go to the next level. Payton’s time away and how his thumb could affect his play when he’s back might also be something to watch for.
There’s a good chance the Warriors could remain at the 7th seed and face the Houston Rockets in the first round, which would be an interesting matchup for them. The Warriors could find their way back to the 6th seed as well, but they have a few tough games coming up.
If the Warriors can survive this upcoming back-to-back against the Nuggets and Lakers, their chances of making the playoffs get much better. Will Stephen Curry, Jimmy Butler, Draymond Green, and the Warriors pull it off? Time will tell.