In a critical setback for the Golden State Warriors, guard Gary Payton II has been ruled out of Game 7 against the Houston Rockets due to illness. Coach Steve Kerr described Payton as being "sick as a dog" and confirmed he missed the morning shootaround and hasn't been able to eat.

This absence marks a significant loss as Payton has played a pivotal role throughout the playoff series, even starting in Game 6 after coming off the bench in the previous games. His performance included scoring 16 points in a key Game 3 win. Kerr noted that the team will need to adapt their rotations and explore various lineup combinations to compensate for Payton's absence.