With a 121-115 victory over the energetic, talented, and unusually tall Orlando Magic squad on Tuesday night, the Golden State Warriors secured a remarkable and much-needed victory. Despite the victory, guard Gary Payton II had to leave the game in the third quarter after limping to the locker room due to a strained left hamstring.

It was to be expected that the bad news persisted throughout the following day. The severity of the strain is expected to cause Payton to miss “several weeks” of action, according to a report from Shams Charania.As he was playing in only his second game back from a right calf ιnjury that sidelined him for thirteen games, Payton takes a devastating Һit. The Warriors are still reeling from Draymond Green’s indefinite ban and the loss of Payton makes it even more difficult for them to find a defensive rhythm.

Injuries have plagued Payton ever since he was an integral part of the Warriors’ 2021–22 NBA Finals championship team. Based on his performance, the Portland Trail Blazers offered him a three-year, $26.1 million contract. However, he was only able to play in fifteen games before an abdominal ailment forced him to return to the Warriors in a trade before the deadline. After sitting out for nearly six weeks following the trade, he got back on the court for the last seven games of the regular season and the playoffs.

Things have gone wrong for GPII since the beginning of the year, when it seemed totally healthy. He missed a game in early November due to illness and missed three games in mid-November due to a foot ailment. Afterwards, he was sidelined until this past Saturday after hurting his calf in a loss to the Sacramento Kings on November 28.

Returning to the sidelines, he is understandably irritated after his reaction on Tuesday.

I really hope he recovers quickly and, even more crucially, that he is able to maintain his health. Everyone on the squad could use it, but GPII deserves it much more.