Is Klay Thompson playing tonight against Kings? Latest injury report on Warriors’ superstar ahead of matchup (April 7, 2023)
Klay Thompson will play for the Golden State Warriors on Friday night against the Sacramento Kings. The four-time champ was sidelined in the Warriors' 136-125 victory over the OKC Thunder on Tuesday due to lower back soreness.
The five-time All-Star, however, suffered no setbacks and was a full participant in Golden State's last practice. Before sitting out against the Thunder, Thompson played in 27 straight games.
Steve Kerr, the Warriors' coach, spoke to the media after their practice and was positive about Thompson's availability.
Klay Thompson’s back soreness is fine, Kerr says. He practiced fully today.
The last time Klay Thompson was on the court was on April 2 when the Warriors lost 112-110 to the Denver Nuggets. He played team-high 39 minutes and finished with a team-best 25 points to go with five rebounds and four assists.
Thompson scored a three-pointer that cut the Nuggets' lead to 112-110 before missing a potential game-winning trifecta.
"Killa Klay" is averaging 21.8 points, 4.2 rebounds and 2.4 assists in 67 games after playing just 32 last season. He will be a vital cog in the Golden State Warriors' quest to defend their championship.
Also read: Watch- Klay Thompson hits insane corner three as Golden State Warriors mount massive comeback
A "washed-up" Klay Thompson just broke a personal record of most made three-pointers in a season
Klay Thompson had an awful start to the 2022-23 NBA season. Despite having his first training camp and pre-season in two years, the shooting guard struggled to hit the basket, particularly from deep.
Hall of Famer Charles Barkley didn't believe Thompson would ever be the same again. Barkley was just one of those who called "Game 6 Klay" washed up when one of the NBA's deadliest marksmen hit just 24.0% of his three-pointers.
KLAY THOMPSON HITS THE IMPOSSIBLE THREE 🤯
https://t.co/9QJR7dhfAC
Nearly four months later, Thompson is now averaging 40.7% from behind the arc and has 290 three-pointers for the season. His previous high was 276, which he accomplished five seasons ago.
Thompson's offense isn't the only part of his game that has been revived. As soon as he got his legs underneath him, his defense also improved. It is almost unbelievable that one of the NBA's best two-way players has become a target on defense.
During his early-season struggles shooting the ball, opposing teams would often hunt Thompson on defense. The 2018-19 All-Defensive team member just couldn't stay in front of players like he used to.
As the season went on, his conditioning and rhythm also took another step in the right direction. Thompson now looks to be just as good before two brutal injuries sidelined him for two seasons.
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