NBA

Will Gary Payton play in the NBA Finals against the Celtics?

Golden State Warriors’ Gary Payton II may yet see action in the NBA Finals after he broke his elbow in their playoff series against the Memphis Grizzlies.

Gidget Alikpala

Golden State Warriors point guard Gary Payton II has been missing action since he broke his elbow in the second round of the playoffs.

Gary Payton: Possible Game 1 appearance

Now it looks like there’s some good news for the Warriors- GP2 could be a game-time decision to play for Game 1 pf the NBA Finals against the Boston Celtics, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic.

Payton broke his arm after a flagrant foul by Memphis Grizzlies guard Dillon Brooks during a layup attempt sent him to the ground.

The 29-year-old has not returned to play since the injury.

Iguodala and Porter also possibilities

Meanwhile, forwards Andre Iguodala and Otto Porter Jr. may also have some court time in the finals as they both have been listed as game time decision.

Iguodala has been sidelined since Game 4 of their first-round series against the Denver Nuggets, when he sustained a disk injury in his neck. The 38-year-old was Golden State’s NBA Finals MVP in 2015, and could provide leadership in crucial moments of championship games.

Porter last played in Game 3 of the Conference Finals against the Dallas Mavericks, and was delivering double-digit scores before he was injured. He could provide shooting support to Steph Curry, Draymond Green, and Klay Thompson, should the Celtics effectively apply their much-vaunted defense on the trio.

This is the sixth finals appearance for the Warriors in only eight seasons. They face the Celtics at home for Game 1. Tip off is at 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. ET at Chase Center in San Francisco.

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