Klay Thompson is back! The Splash Brothers reunite again, is the NBA championship imminent? – NBA – Basketball

When the Golden State Warriors home announcer shouted, “He is back…” Klay Thompson sat quietly with a complicated expression, then looked up at the top, then got up to accept the cheers of the audience, and stepped into the Chase Center The pitch…he really came back.

Golden State Warriors star guard Klay Thompson is finally back once morest the Cavaliers following a long wait. It has been 941 days since he last played on June 14, 2019. His quasi-star teammate Andrew Wiggins hadn’t come to the Warriors at that time, and the Cavaliers’ frontcourt general Evan Mobley had not yet entered the NBA. !

“I’m so excited to be back, I’m going to prove to people that I’m still me.” Thompson said in an interview regarding his expectations for a comeback: “I know some people have forgotten because I’ve been out of the game for two years. But I never As eager to prove myself as I am now, the best way to get revenge is to win.”

In Game 6 of the 2018-19 championship game, Thompson accidentally landed following a fast-break dunk and suffered a torn left cruciate ligament, causing him to miss the entire 2019-20 season and, unfortunately, before the start of the 2020-21 season. , a pre-season training session caused an Achilles tendon torn (yes, the pain suffered by Kobe Bryant, Kevin Durant, John Wall, etc., some people can recover, but some people never die), missed the whole once more 2020-21 season.

Klay Thompson falls to the ground with dunk injury

Having been unable to play with his teammates for such a long time, coupled with the difficult rehabilitation process of two and a half years, if it were not for the brave heart with perseverance and persistence, I am afraid it would be difficult to survive these tormenting years, but he finally came back.

Thompson, who will turn 32 in February, has played in 615 career games, averaging 19.5 points, 3.5 rebounds and 2.3 assists, shooting .459 from the field and .419 from three-point range. He teamed up with Stephen Curry and Draymond Green to win. The next three NBA championship gold cups, and now, he is ready to challenge for the fourth gold cup.

comeback

In the first game of the comeback, the fans did not wait too long. About 40 seconds following the start of the game, in the first offensive round of the Warriors, Klay Thompson immediately passed through Juan Toscano-Anderson’s one-stop screen and went around the upper edge of the free throw circle. Andrew Wiggins’ pass, a stride, went into the paint from the center line, and before Cavaliers center Jarrett Allen blocked a drop, the ball should be heard and hit the first ball of the return.

Then, with 2:56 remaining in the second quarter, he used the left and right dribble to flick past Jarrett Allen and cut into the restricted area, finishing the dunk on Lauri Markkanen and Lamar Stevens. To be honest, this dunk made all the Warriors fans’ hearts skip a beat, but watching Thompson fly for the dunk, the fans at home were really excited and cheered.

Then, at the last 1:18 of the second quarter, Thompson received a pass from Otto Porter Jr. who cut to the basket and hit his first 3-pointer in 941 days, officially announcing that the Spray Brothers are back. combined.

Klay Thompson officially returns to highlight

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_w_GFm0FeVE

Under the arrangement of head coach Steve Kerr, Thompson started the game for 19 minutes and 55 seconds, and his playing time was obviously limited. He made 7 of 18 shots, including 3 of 8 three-pointers, and scored the second-highest 17 points of the team. With 3 rebounds, not only helped the Golden State Warriors beat the Cleveland Cavaliers 96-86 at home, ending the 2-game losing streak, but also successfully achieved the double milestone of 12,000 points and 1,800 three-pointers in his career. Although it looked a little unfamiliar on the field, and the hand was not very good, but being able to return to the field moved everyone.

Klay Thompson’s 2.5-year-off press conference at the end of the game was full of his joy and emotion for being able to return to the court, as well as his gratitude to his teammates and fans for supporting him so much. “Very special moment,” Thompson said. “I’ll never forget the night and the welcome the Warriors fans gave us, especially myself. I’m very happy with what I did today. There were always some shots The goal was missed, but I’m happy to say that because I mightn’t say that for the past two years and I’m just grateful to be able to play once more.”

compare

Under the protection of the team, Klay Thompson only played for regarding 20 minutes today. Coach Kerr emphasized that it may take several weeks for Thompson to fully return to the court, so the current playing time should not exceed 20 minutes, but the team also I won’t be aggressive, I’d rather be conservative and let Thompson slowly get used to the rhythm of the court.

Today, the audience shot 7 of 18, including 3 of 8 three-pointers, and the shooting rate is not very ideal. But the consideration is the first game of the comeback, and it is still in the grip, which is acceptable.

Comparing the 2018-19 season before the injury, Thompson averaged 21.5 points, 3.8 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 1.1 steals in 34.0 minutes, while shooting .467 from the field and .402 from three-point range.