Klay Thompson celebrates after hitting one of his 239 three-pointers during the regular season. His health will be vital for the NBA finals. (Getty)
Klay Thompson’s status for Game 1 of the NBA Finals was in serious question for quite some time, but it’s beginning to look like Golden State Warriors fans can breathe a little easier.
According to Dubs head coach Steve Kerr, Thompson, who suffered a concussion during Golden State’s Western Conference-clinching win over the Houston Rockets on May 27, is expected to be available for the start of the finals. Yahoo! Sports’ Marc J. Spears passed along the news:
Warriors coach Steve Kerr says "all is going well" with Klay Thompson (concussion) and he is expects him to be ready for start of NBA Finals
— Marc J. Spears (@SpearsNBAYahoo) May 30, 2015
With 9:30 left in the fourth quarter of Game 5, Thompson pump-faked and got Rockets wing Trevor Ariza to bite. But as Ariza flew by, his knee connected with the right side of Thompson’s head for an ugly-looking collision:
Thompson, according to the team, didn’t exhibit concussion symptoms during the game. However, Thompson’s dad Mychal, who had to drive Klay home after the game, told ESPN’s Mike and Mike his son was feeling “pretty woozy” and “threw up a couple times.” Thompson was diagnosed with a concussion two days after the game.
Fortunately for the Warriors, the week-long gap in between the conference finals and NBA finals looks like it will provide sufficient time for Thompson to pass the protocols and return to the court. Still, this is something to keep a close eye on, because Thompson is crucial to Golden State’s success.
The 25-year-old’s numbers have dipped slightly in the playoffs. His points per game have fallen from 21.7 to 19.7 and his true-shooting percentage from 59.1 percent to 56.8 percent. Still, his ability to stretch the floor is vital for Golden State’s offense, and his underrated defense will be important against guys like J.R. Smith and Iman Shumpert, who made huge impacts in the Eastern Conference finals.
The Warriors may enter as favorites, but that could quickly change if Thompson isn’t at 100 percent. We’ll be sure to keep you updated as more becomes known on his status.
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Klay Thompson Concussion News & NBA Finals Status