Gary Payton II reveals financial motivations of in-season tournament
The Golden State Warriors still have a chance of progressing into the knockout stages of the in-season tournament. Their win over the San Antonio Spurs on Friday (Nov. 24) kept the team’s hopes alive. However, Golden State will need to defeat the Sacramento Kings on Tuesday (Nov. 28) and hope that other results go their way if they’re going to progress to the next stage.
When speaking to the media following Golden State’s win over the Spurs, Gary Payton II noted how players use the $500K prize money as additional motivation for tournament games. He noted how the different courts in use signify when games are “money time.”
“It’s technically money time,” Gary Payton II. “So, we can’t afford to give up any of these. Tonight was pretty big. Everybody had their antennas up, was active, and causing havoc. We knew our backs were against the wall, so we went out and tried to compete for the money…We just know that when the court is different, it’s money time. Especially our young guys, it will help out our young guys and our two-ways.”
The Warriors and Kings are developing somewhat of a rivalry between them. Whenever the two teams have faced off in recent games, it has always led to an electric performance from both sides, with highlight-level game endings.
"We just know when that court's different it's money time." 🤑
GP2 and the Warriors know what's on the line during the In-Season Tournament pic.twitter.com/8A9XUJNVkM
— Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) November 25, 2023
With so much riding on the final game of the Warriors in-season tournament group, we could see a playoff-intensity game between Sacramento and Golden State, and that’s precisely what the NBA office had in mind when they implemented the changes.
