Once upon a time, the Warriors used to be able to win entire playoff series without their best player in tow. But with Curry sidelined with a pelvis injury for the last two games, these Warriors — even with Jimmy Butler on the floor — haven’t been competitive against two of the league’s most forgettable teams, Atlanta and Miami.

Now the team will be without Payton indefinitely due to a torn ligament in his left thumb, a story broken by Shams Charania of The Athletic. Payton had already been playing through an injury, wearing a mask since suffering a non-displaced nose fracture against the Hornets on March 3.