A few Warriors who sustained injuries are recovering in time for the final stretch.
After spraining his foot in the first half of the Warriors’ victory in Brooklyn, Andrew Wiggins is probably going to play against the Philadelphia 76ers on Wednesday night.
The Sixers, who will be without Joel Embiid due to corrective surgery on his meniscus for an injury incurred during the 76ers’ trip to San Francisco last week, will present a fresh set of defensive issues for Golden State.
Gary Payton II, out for the last 14 games with a Grade 2 left hamstring strain, returned to practice on Tuesday at the historic Palestra gym at the University of Pennsylvania, and participated in all team activities. Though coach Steve Kerr said Payton won’t be available against the Sixers or on the back-to-back against the Indiana Pacers, he’s considered day-to-day and could return soon.
“His energy is always so much fun,” Steph Curry remarked. It’s wonderful to know what he adds to our squad, and he’s coming close, so maybe we can get him back as soon as possible. With defensive-minded players who have the ability to alter the course of the game, we have continuously outperformed them on that end of the court. He can fit into any lineup, which has been our biggest flaw the entire season.
Although Payton stated that he is “trying to get his body back to normal as soon as possible,” he has not been on the court for the majority of this season due to injuries. The 31-year-old has only appeared in 16 of the Warriors’ 47 games this season, and he only appeared in two games after suffering a hamstring issue in the previous game. It’s been mentally taxing to recover for the most of the year.
Regarding the task, Payton remarked, “Mentally, you can’t do anything just watching.” “Just observing. I’d like to be outside. Rehab following rehab has mental challenges, but it also feels amazing.
Since Draymond Green’s return from an indefinite ban on January 15, the defense has performed better, but Payton’s point-of-attack defense off the bench might be useful. It’s been hard to watch, according to Payton, who expects to return with even more defensive aggression.
