Klay Thompson Injury: Updates on Warriors Star's Head and Return

Golden State Warriors guard Klay Thompson was diagnosed with a concussion after taking a knee to the head from the Houston Rockets' Trevor Ariza in Game 5 of the Western Conference Finals on May 27.

However, he has been cleared to play in Game 1 of the NBA Finals against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Thursday, June 4.

Continue for updates.

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Thompson Cleared for Game 1

Tuesday, June 2

The Warriors announced Thompson has been cleared to play in Game 1, according to Rusty Simmons of the San Francisco Chronicle.

Head coach Steve Kerr said Thompson participated in practice on Tuesday and "looked good," according to Marc J. Spears of Yahoo Sports.

Simmons reported that Thompson was diagnosed with a concussion by a neurologist on May 29. Golden State announced in a press release on May 27 that Thompson began to show concussion-like symptoms following the team's series-clinching victory over the Houston Rockets in the Western Conference Finals, via NBA writer Erik Malinowski. 

Mychal Thompson, Klay's father, noted on ESPN Radio's Mike & Mike that Klay was unable to drive himself home following the injury. 

Warriors sideline reporter Rosalyn Gold-Onwude originally reported the injury as an ear laceration, and Thompson returned to the court before leaving again when the laceration continued to bleed, per Simmons.

Here's how the injury occurred:

Golden State forward Draymond Green commented after the game that Thompson attempted to return to the contest but was held out, per the Bay Area News Group's Diamond Leung. 

Thompson is in the midst of the best season of his career, and his emergence as a legitimate NBA star alongside Stephen Curry helped the Warriors seal the top spot in the Western Conference standings.

The combination of Curry and Thompson is particularly difficult for opponents to guard because both can create their own shot off the dribble and take advantage of even the slightest sliver of open space to drill a long-range shot.