At 2.30 we will see Klay again on an NBA court after two and a half years.
The night of June 14, 2019 Klay Thompson, after a lost ball of the Toronto Raptors, set off against his foot and, attacking the iron, was fouled by Danny Green. As he landed, he felt great pain and squeezed his knee. After some hesitation he was helped by the staff of the Golden State Warriors and headed for the changing rooms, pain visibly getting the better of the guard. Nonetheless, he returned to the field to throw the free throws, scoring both of them and running into defense before an intentional foul by DeMarcus Cousins allow coach Steve Kerr to call timeout and replace it.
It was Race 6 of the NBA Finals 2019, then won by Toronto that the ring will be possible at home, and since that day we have never seen Klay Thompson on the field again, especially due to a further injury (to the Achilles tendon) that hit him at the end of 2020, a little before the start of the new season.
After years of recovery, precisely 941 harrowing days for him and for Golden State, Thompson will return to the field. Here’s what awaits us in a few hours.
NBA, Warriors and Cavaliers compete at 2.30am
What better opponent to return to the NBA world than the one who faced Golden State in 4 consecutive finals? Probably none. And so, at the Chase Center, i Cleveland Cavaliers will face the Warriors, for a classic not to be missed.
Golden State will field Thompson as a starter, albeit probably with a limited playing time, next to Stephen Curry (recovering from a minor quadriceps injury) Andrew Wiggins, Draymond Green and Kevon Looney. As we know, the team has an excellent record (29-9), and if it wins it would return to first place in the West; Nonetheless, he is not in a good period of form: he has lost his last two games, against Dallas and New Orleans, and Curry is going through very bitter weeks at shooting. Will they be able to get back on the right path, in an evening that promises to be already unforgettable?
On the other hand, Cleveland is certainly not the one in the Finals, but this year it is playing a basketball that has not been seen in years, and is currently sixth in the East with a beautiful, and unexpected record of 22-17. He has struggled a bit since the end of December, with a partial of 3 wins and 5 defeats, but overall the season so far is certainly above all expectations. Absent Ricky Rubio, OUT until the end of the season for the rupture of the Crusader, Collin Sexton (meniscus) and Isaac Okoro (elbow).
Warriors, what to expect from Thompson?
The Thompson we will see will probably be different from the one we remember. I’m not talking about the quality of the shot, but especially the defense: after two such injuries, it will be difficult to see him as reactive as he once was on the first step and from the side. in any case, time will give us all the answers we are waiting for, so as the season progresses we will discover the true value that Klay will add to an already excellent team.
