Gary Payton II’s invaluable impact returns in Warriors’ win over Spurs

SAN ANTONIO – The invaluable impact Gary Payton II has provided the Warriors for years returned Wednesday night in their best win of the 2025-26 NBA season, beating the San Antonio Spurs 125-120 at Paycom Center on the second night of a back-to-back. Payton’s role at the start of the season has been as small as it ever has with the Warriors. A second-draft pick, Will Richard, quickly leapt him in the pecking order, keeping Payton’s view of games mostly from the bench. The defensive ace had looked a step slow and was prone to fouls, two things that can’t happen for someone who isn’t much of a threat offensively. He played 15 minutes of garbage time Tuesday night when the Warriors were blown out in Oklahoma City against the Thunder, and it looked like his services weren’t going to be needed much the next night in San Antonio. Payton replaced Steph Curry for the final 23 seconds of the first half, his only run of the game up to that point. The second half was a completely different story, for Payton and the Warriors collectively as a team. Payton played 14-plus minutes in the second half and was a plus-9 as the Warriors outscored the Spurs by 12. Darting for the ball and being a nuisance defensively, Payton in that span had four points, six rebounds – four offensive – two assists and one steal. The stars were the show, and Payton was the special sauce behind the scenes that helped them thrive. “I thought Gary was fantastic in the second half. And what a pro,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr said. “The guy hasn’t been in the rotation for two weeks, and you never hear anything from him. He stays upbeat, positive. Everybody loves him, and then he always stays ready.”His game-changing ways began with seven and a half minutes left in the third quarter and the Warriors down by five. Payton’s first offensive rebound led to a Victor Wembanyama foul and two free throws for Curry. The next time down the floor, Payton grabbed a miss from Wemby, gave the ball up to Draymond Green, ran alongside Curry and set a good enough screen on his man that Devin Vassell fouled Steph for three more free throws. Payton on the Warriors’ next offensive possession assisted Moses Moody for a three. Later in the third, he snuck behind the Spurs defense for a spinning layup, and his fourth and final rebound of the quarter became a foul on San Antonio and two free throws for Jimmy Butler. Those who have been around Payton since he stuck with the Warriors in the 2021-22 championship season are used to this. Al Horford was on the other side of that as a member of the Boston Celtics in the 2022 NBA Finals and poured praise on Payton while answering a question about Curry. “Gary Payton just completely changed the game for us in the second half,” Horford said. “His offensive rebounding, defensively – just his impact. I was just very impressed with him, because you know, to be able to be called out like that and he just kept making winning play after winning play. “There was a sequence there in the third quarter where he right away instinctively went to Steph on a screen to get him open, and Steph gets fouled for three shots. It’s one of those things that the guy, he just understands how to play. He knows how to play. He’s a winner. I was just impressed with Gary tonight.” Payton played the final six and a half minutes of the fourth quarter and came down with two more offensive rebounds in one sequence. First, he found the angle from a missed three from Green and sprinted past Luke Kornet for his third offensive rebound of the game. In the same possession, Payton went from the right corner to the free-throw line to secure a short 3-point attempt by Curry, took one dribble and gave the ball back to a relocated Curry in the corner. This time, Curry’s three went down and the Warriors’ lead increased from seven points to 10 with four and a half minutes left in the game. The Warriors entered the day ranked 26th in offensive rebounds, a number that highlighted larger issues. All 6-foot-2 of Payton (on a good day) reminded everybody the importance of crashing the offensive glass and keeping possessions alive. Look at all four of Gary Payton II's 4 offensive rebounds last night His nose for the ball was huge in the Warriors' win pic.twitter.com/Cl1ZHktU1c — Dalton Johnson (&commat;DaltonJ&lowbar;Johnson) November 13, 2025 “Just crash,” he said. “The league’s been changing a lot, so everybody’s crashing. Look at the ball and see where it might end up. Might be short, might be long. Run through the nail and just be in the right area where the ball usually comes from on threes. So, just crash.” If you know how to play with Curry, finding him for open shots or freeing him with timely screens, you’re going to get minutes. Payton understands how to get the best out of the Warriors’ superstar as well as anybody. He isn’t seen as a star. He isn’t part of the Warriors’ Big Three. But Curry appreciates Payton as much as any of his teammates. “It’s huge. He’s a professional. He’s been through this where you got to stay ready,” Curry said. “Whether it’s been him being injured, coming in and out of the lineup or coach’s decision on who he’s putting out there. The way that he impacts the game defensively, we all know that, but he just seems to find himself in the right place at the right time offensively. He knows how to set screens, keep the ball moving and if he’s open shoot it. “It’s simple, boring basketball, but it’s winning basketball. And he does a great job of being ready whenever he’s called to go out there and hoop.”At the end of last season, it looked like Payton’s days with the Warriors could be numbered. Payton wanted otherwise, as did Curry. Payton had to wait and wait and wait like everybody else for Jonathan Kuminga’s restricted free agency, eventually agreeing to terms before Kuminga did. There was only one team Payton wanted to keep playing with, and his value that outnumbers stats turned to major impact once again in the biggest win thus far for the Warriors that they had to have.“It’s the story of my career,” Payton said. “Don’t play, I play. Might not play, then I get thrown back into the fire. It’s another day at work. Staying ready, being ready, that’s it. “Whatever I can do to help out the team. Just go in and make plays. Try to get the ball to certain guys, and just do the little things.” Patience and perseverance paid off for Payton. Respect the game, and it rewards you in return.Download and follow the Dubs Talk Podcast

Gary Payton II’s invaluable impact returns in Warriors’ win over Spurs

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