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Klay Thompson: Don't Call It A Comeback!!!
ChillyDawg
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ESPN https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/32701112/golden-state-warriors-klay-thompson-participates-first-full-team-practice-acl-achilles-injuries
Golden State Warriors' Klay Thompson participates in first full practice since ACL and Achilles injuries
Golden State Warriors swingman Klay Thompson participated in a full-team practice on Tuesday for the first time since tearing his left ACL in Game 6 of the 2019 NBA Finals and his right Achilles in November 2020.
"It's so exciting," Thompson said. "Just to be running up and down the court and playing basketball, it's truly a blessing and it makes coming to work so easy. The boring stuff's behind me and now it's just getting back in game shape -- I got to stay patient because I can be an overeager person to get out there and play, but I'm just incredibly grateful to be out there. The work the training staff and I have done over the last two years is really paying off, and it's hard to put into words how grateful I am to be playing basketball again."
Thompson, who was cleared for 5-on-5 work with members of the Warriors support staff last week, has been in great spirits as his return to the floor inches closer. While the Warriors have been hopeful that Thompson could return around Christmas, coach Steve Kerr reiterated Tuesday that no return date has been set and they want Thompson to continue to build up his strength and stamina after being off the floor for so long.
"We don't have a target date," Kerr said. "What we have is a number of weeks ahead of us for certain where we're going to play it out, keep letting him scrimmage as often as possible so that he'll build that endurance. And I would think within a few weeks we'll be able to finally sort of get a target date, but we don't have one right now."
For his part, Thompson seems content to continue putting in the rehab work and let his body tell him, in consultation with the Warriors' medical staff, when he'll be ready to play in games again. He knows that he'll be on a minutes restriction whenever he does return, but he also understands that he'll be joining a team that has exceeded early expectations and is riding a league-best 15-2 record into Wednesday's game against the Philadelphia 76ers.
Thompson didn't hesitate when asked if he felt the Warriors could win a title this season.
"Oh, yeah," he said. "We're 15-2. That's a great indicator of [championship readiness] and our defense, I think it's top three in the league as well as our offense -- and I'm not even out there yet. Think about that. Really think about that. I'm more motivated than ever as well. I want a championship so bad. More than anything."
Thompson said he has been motivated by critics who are doubting whether he and the Warriors can get back to the top.
"I wanted to be on that Top [75 list]. I wanted some recognition. I didn't get it and that's fine. You know how you get recognition? You go win. I just want to go win again. I want to win a fourth ring," he said. "Not being able to compete for the last two years, I feel like I have a lot of pent-up energy to prove -- not to anybody else, but to myself -- I'm still one of the best."
Klay Thompson Career Stats
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vQaGX4-Sfvg
Klay Thompson CAREER HIGH 60 POINTS In 29 Minutes (2016)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VoqR1_UJjbk
Klay Thompson Drops 52 & BREAKS NBA RECORD With 14 3-Pointers (2018)
Golden State Warriors' Klay Thompson participates in first full practice since ACL and Achilles injuries
Golden State Warriors swingman Klay Thompson participated in a full-team practice on Tuesday for the first time since tearing his left ACL in Game 6 of the 2019 NBA Finals and his right Achilles in November 2020.
"It's so exciting," Thompson said. "Just to be running up and down the court and playing basketball, it's truly a blessing and it makes coming to work so easy. The boring stuff's behind me and now it's just getting back in game shape -- I got to stay patient because I can be an overeager person to get out there and play, but I'm just incredibly grateful to be out there. The work the training staff and I have done over the last two years is really paying off, and it's hard to put into words how grateful I am to be playing basketball again."
Thompson, who was cleared for 5-on-5 work with members of the Warriors support staff last week, has been in great spirits as his return to the floor inches closer. While the Warriors have been hopeful that Thompson could return around Christmas, coach Steve Kerr reiterated Tuesday that no return date has been set and they want Thompson to continue to build up his strength and stamina after being off the floor for so long.
"We don't have a target date," Kerr said. "What we have is a number of weeks ahead of us for certain where we're going to play it out, keep letting him scrimmage as often as possible so that he'll build that endurance. And I would think within a few weeks we'll be able to finally sort of get a target date, but we don't have one right now."
For his part, Thompson seems content to continue putting in the rehab work and let his body tell him, in consultation with the Warriors' medical staff, when he'll be ready to play in games again. He knows that he'll be on a minutes restriction whenever he does return, but he also understands that he'll be joining a team that has exceeded early expectations and is riding a league-best 15-2 record into Wednesday's game against the Philadelphia 76ers.
Thompson didn't hesitate when asked if he felt the Warriors could win a title this season.
"Oh, yeah," he said. "We're 15-2. That's a great indicator of [championship readiness] and our defense, I think it's top three in the league as well as our offense -- and I'm not even out there yet. Think about that. Really think about that. I'm more motivated than ever as well. I want a championship so bad. More than anything."
Thompson said he has been motivated by critics who are doubting whether he and the Warriors can get back to the top.
"I wanted to be on that Top [75 list]. I wanted some recognition. I didn't get it and that's fine. You know how you get recognition? You go win. I just want to go win again. I want to win a fourth ring," he said. "Not being able to compete for the last two years, I feel like I have a lot of pent-up energy to prove -- not to anybody else, but to myself -- I'm still one of the best."
Klay Thompson Career Stats
- 19.5 points per game
- 3.5 rebounds per game
- 2.3 assists per game
- 0.5 blocks per game
- 0.9 steals per game
- 1.7 turnovers per game
- 33.1 minutes per game
- 45.9 percent shooting
- 41.9 percent 3-point shooting
- 84.8 percent free throw shooting
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vQaGX4-SfvgKlay Thompson CAREER HIGH 60 POINTS In 29 Minutes (2016)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VoqR1_UJjbkKlay Thompson Drops 52 & BREAKS NBA RECORD With 14 3-Pointers (2018)
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Klay Thompson Media Availability November 23, 2021: "I Want To Win A Fourth Ring."
“When am I gonna be back? Hopefully within the next few weeks, man, that’d be really nice,” Thompson said while live-streaming on Instagram. “Maybe a month. It’s hard to gauge.”
Thompson’s eventual return was at the top of everyone’s minds as the Warriors prepared to face the Suns in the second game of an early season home-and-home series with their neighbors at the top of the Western Conference standings. A logical date for his highly anticipated return could be Dec. 20 against the Kings, their first of two homes games sandwiched between a long East Coast road trip and a Christmas Day clash in Phoenix, but the Warriors have maintained there is no official timeline. ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported Friday that Thompson was still on schedule for a pre-Christmas return and that he was already able to play 25-30 minutes.
“I think the increased stamina that we’ve seen over the last couple weeks, where he is now compared to his first scrimmage when we were on the road a couple weeks ago, it’s pretty dramatic,” coach Steve Kerr said Friday prior to tipoff. “The improvement will be more gradual now as he continues to get stronger and more conditioned. But these last few weeks will be probably tougher for him in a lot of ways, mentally and physically, just because maybe the improvement won’t be quite as dramatic.”
Adrian Wojnarowski joins NBA Countdown to discuss the latest on Klay Thompson’s possible return to the Golden State Warriors and the NBA Countdown crew discusses expectations for the Warriors’ rematch against the Phoenix Suns.
NBA: Klay Thompson's Every Made Basket In Record Breaking 37-Point Third Quarter vs Kings (2015).
FYI, I already posted those Matisse acts in the Ex Husky players in the NBA thread...
NBA: Klay Thompson's Top Plays | Last 5 Seasons
Hoops Rumors https://www.hoopsrumors.com/2021/12/klay-thompson-expected-to-return-after-christmas.html
The Warriors and Thompson want his return from a two-year absence to come at home, and the Jan. 9 and Jan. 18 dates have fallen into place as strong targets as the veteran continues to ramp up his conditioning, sources said.
Thompson recently completed a productive five-day stay with Santa Cruz of the G League, where he played in three game-length scrimmages. His rehab is complete, and he is working now to elevate his conditioning as much as possible before rejoining a Warriors team that is tied for the NBA's best record at 23-5.
Thompson is returning from a torn left ACL in Game 6 of the 2019 NBA Finals and a right Achilles tear in a November 2020 workout.
Before Friday night's game against the Boston Celtics, Warriors coach Steve Kerr said the exact timing of Thompson's return is still unclear. But Kerr said he will speak to Thompson, GM Bob Myers and director of sports medicine and performance Rick Celebrini when the team returns from its East Coast road trip.
NBA On ESPN: Doris Burke is on NBA Today to provide her thoughts surrounding Klay Thompson’s pending return from injury for the Golden State Warriors.
ESPN: Adrian Wojnarowski joins NBA Countdown to discuss the latest surrounding Klay Thompson’s return, where he believes to expect early January for the return. The NBA Countdown crew then debate whether Thompson or Kyrie Irving’s return means more for their respective team.
ESPN: Brian Windhorst expects Klay Thompson to have an immediate impact on the Warriors once he returns.
Golden State Warriors: Six Times Klay Thompson Broke The Game of Basketball.
- ☔️ 37 points in a quarter
- ☔️ 11 threes in a playoff game
- ☔️ 60 points in 29 minutes
- ☔️ 14 threes in a game
- ☔️ 43 points on 4 dribbles
- ☔️ 10 straight made threes
Klay Thompson knows a thing or two about making NBA history.ESPN: Understanding Klay Thompson’s injury, recovery & return to the Warriors.
ESPN: Klay Thompson is better at catch-and-shoot 3s than anyone in NBA history.