News Every Day | 21 November 2021, 20:47

Klay Thompson trending towards pre-Christmas return

The Warriors, a league-best 14-2, returned to San Francisco this weekend to good news. Klay Thompson came through well after a week of 5-on-5 scrimmaging and has been cleared to be a full-time participant in all future Warriors’ practices, sources tell The Athletic. Thompson is trending toward a potential return the week before Christmas Day, those sources said.
Source: Shams Charania and Anthony Slater @ The Athletic

What’s the buzz on Twitter?

StatMuse @statmuse
Warriors this season:
1st in record
1st in net rating
1st in defensive rating
2nd in offensive rating
1st in points per game
1st in assists per game
2nd in rebounds per game
2nd in steals per game
1st in FG%
1st in threes per game
And Klay has been cleared for full practice. pic.twitter.com/JBWAvJH4M0 – 12:44 PM

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FEvDKv-VgAMu-Rb.jpg

David Aldridge @davidaldridgedc
No setbacks for Klay Thompson after doing 5 on 5 work this week has allowed him to enter the last stages of rehab, with a return just before Christmas return the likeliest scenario, per @Shams Charania and @Anthony Slater: bit.ly/3kZ6KOS – 12:44 PM

The Vertical @YahooSportsNBA
Klay Thompson has been cleared to fully participate in all Warriors practices and is trending toward a possible return before Christmas, per @Shams Charania and @Anthony Slater. pic.twitter.com/oLr2B1EmPd – 12:41 PM

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FEvCVsaXoAgRzC0.jpg

Anthony Slater @anthonyVslater
Klay Thompson, fully cleared for practice after strong scrimmage week, has entered the final ramp up stage, trending toward a Warriors return within week of Christmas.
Full update, with @Shams Charania, on Klay here
theathletic.com/news/warriors-… – 12:31 PM

Tommy Beer @TommyBeer
Most games with 9 or more made 3-pointers in NBA history by players not named Steph Curry:
James Harden: 9 (in 893 career games)
Dame Lillard: 9 (in 697 career games)
Klay Thompson: 7 (in 615 career gms)
Now, watch this:
In his last 33 games, Steph has 10 games w/ 9+ made 3PTs – 9:46 AM

Tom Haberstroh @tomhaberstroh
🏀 HABERSHOW w/ @Amin Elhassan 🏀
@Howard Beck joins the show to discuss Warriors Doubt, his conversation with a vengeful Klay Thompson, fashion and whether Scoot Henderson will disrupt college hoops model. Plus, Howard trivia!
🍎: https://t.co/J2LpxGakJ7

: https://t.co/sTBD4GEp5E pic.twitter.com/usdxRsXtDg – 7:56 AM

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FEjt-frXIAA03xl.jpg

Tim Reynolds @ByTimReynolds
Most games with 9 or more 3’s, NBA history:
1. Stephen Curry, 40
2. Damian Lillard, 12
3. James Harden, 9
3. Klay Thompson, 9
5. JR Smith, 5
6. Kobe Bryant, 4
Put another way …
1. Stephen Curry, 40
2. The next five guys combined, 39 – 11:39 PM

Micah Adams @MicahAdams13
Most games with 9 made 3s
Steph career: 38
Dame career: 9
Harden career: 9
Klay career: 7
J.R. career: 5
STEPH THIS SEASON: 4 (in 15 games)
Kobe career: 4 – 10:00 PM

More on this storyline

In-season practices aren’t the most intense. Veterans typically use off-days to rest, get treatment and watch film. So Thompson won’t spend the next week running through constant game speed reps with Steph Curry and Draymond Green. The full-team workouts are pretty light. But this is still a vital advancement in his ramp-up. The Warriors don’t have a game on either Monday or Tuesday. During off-days, they typically set up a scrimmage with players at the back end of their team rotation who need court work. Thompson is expected to join those scrimmages, matching him against other current NBA athletes in a full-blown, unconstrained contact setting for the first time since he suffered the first of two major injuries in June 2019 when he sustained a torn ACL. Thompson suffered a torn Achilles tendon last November. -via The Athletic / November 21, 2021

Free agent and recent pro Dante Exum was among the players in this past week’s Thompson scrimmages, and sources said Thompson had strong showings in the five-on-five play. It was his first time running five-on-fives, albeit with players who are not currently playing on a pro team. Mychel Thompson, Klay Thompson’s older brother, has also been a featured presence as part of the return-to-play plan. It’s been 892 days since Klay Thompson has appeared in a game. His right Achilles tear came during the final stage of his left ACL rehab, so the Warriors — given the extended layoff and recent experience — have been extremely careful easing him back. Steve Kerr has mentioned multiple times his belief that Kevin Durant’s brilliant return from an Achilles injury is partially due to the 18-month gap between tear and return. -via The Athletic / November 21, 2021

“(Brooklyn) did a smart job last year pacing him,” Kerr said of Durant. But Thompson is fully healed from both injuries. It’s now only about conditioning and rhythm, building his body back to game shape. The next month is essentially viewed as his training camp; the increasingly intense scrimmages will be his preseason. In controlled settings, Thompson’s been doing 2-on-2 and 3-on-3 contact for about a month and hasn’t shied away from the cameras, even going through his shooting routine on the main court pregame in a full jersey, an indication of how well he is beginning to feel. Early in camp, he was hesitant to be spotted, even telling a couple of cameras to stop filming. -via The Athletic / November 21, 2021