The Golden State Warriors punched their ticket to the 2022 NBA Finals after they defeated the Dallas Mavericks in the Western Conference Finals.
Golden State is still awaiting its next opponent because the Eastern Conference Finals matchup between the Miami Heat and Boston Celtics went the full distance.
In a positive development for the Warriors, it sounds like they could get some key players back soon.
Otto, GPII, and Iguodala will be integrated back into practice this week. Their playing status will be determined on how they feel after said practices.
— Jason Dumas (@JDumasReports) May 29, 2022
Otto Porter Jr., Gary Payton II and Andre Iguodala have played key roles for the Warriors this season. Although the team would love to have them back in uniform and is aiming for the players to see action at some point in the Finals, their statuses will depend on how their bodies respond during practice, according to coach Steve Kerr.
Steve Kerr says the Warriors are "aiming" for Otto Porter Jr., Andre Iguodala, and Gary Payton II to play at some point in the Finals, but says they'll know more regarding their status at a later time: "We'll have a better feel after the next couple of days of practice."
— TheWarriorsTalk (@TheWarriorsTalk) May 29, 2022
Porter suited up in 63 regular season games for the Warriors, starting in 15 of them. He recorded 8.2 points and 5.7 rebounds per game. He also added 1.3 triples per contest.
As for Payton, he has proven to be one of the team’s best defensive players. During the regular season, he averaged 2.8 steals per 36 minutes. The 29-year-old guard also chipped in 7.1 points and 3.5 rebounds per match.
At 38 years old, Iguodala is the oldest player on the Warriors roster. Age has certainly caught up to the 2015 Finals MVP, who played in just 31 games in the regular season and averaged 4.0 points, 3.2 rebounds and 3.7 assists per contest. Still, the Warriors clearly value his leadership as well as his steady playmaking and defensive skills.
