In the 13 months since he’s been back from his two-and-a-half year injury layoff, Klay has scored 50 points in game, dropped 40 on three occasions, hit 12 3-pointers in a game, had a classic Game 6 Klay explosion and won a championship. But there’s one accomplishment that’s eluded his grasp: the ability to play in back-to-back games.
At long last, Klay could play two games in the span of two days, as he told reporters after Monday’s 135-126 win over the Washington Wizards that he’s expecting to play against the Los Angeles Clippers Tuesday night.
“Yes. I’m so excited,” Klay said while folding a paper airplane. “Huge milestone. Even more fun to do it in front of family. Spent so many great moments in that building with my dad, my brother and my mothers. I’m just excited to get down there and play in front of them. It’s really a dream.”
It’s not just wishful thinking for Klay, who has longed to get back to his pre-injury greatness. Warriors coach Steve Kerr also told reporters there’s a chance Klay could play Tuesday.
"Hope so," Kerr said of Klay. "We've talked about it and we'll see."
Thompson isn't listed on the injury report Tuesday, so it looks like he'll be ready to play.
Klay tore his ACL in the 2019 NBA Finals and ruptured his Achilles the next November. Since then, Warriors director of sports medicine performance Rick Celebrini has been cautious with Thompson’s workload. But he looked bouncy in his 36 minutes of action against the Wizards.
He dropped 27 points on Monday night, but no bucket was more impressive than the two-handed slam he threw down against big man Kristaps Porzingis.
“That felt great,” Thompson said. “Just to go up there and throw it down with no hesitation, that’s a great feeling.”
Klay has been on a tear since the start of 2023, averaging 25.8 points and 5.0 3-pointers per game while shooting 44.6 percent from the floor and 42.1 percent from 3-point range. But a dunk like that? That’s rare for Klay.
“It was big to see him get up there confidently and attacking the rim,” Donte DiVincenzo said. “It was huge, not only for him, but for us.”
Thompson has taken on the alpha dog role since Steph Curry’s leg injury, averaging 28.8 points in the past four games, and removed any of the early-season doubts about his career being over. His ability to move on defense may never be what it was, but Klay’s offensive prowess remains elite as ever.
