Klay Thompson Injury Update: Star Cleared to Play in Game 1 of 2015 NBA Finals
The Golden State Warriors received a major boost ahead of Game 1 of the NBA Finals against the Cleveland Cavaliers on June 4, as star guard Klay Thompson will be available in that contest.
GSW Stats on Twitter had the news on Tuesday:
Thompson was diagnosed with a concussion after Game 5 of the Western Conference Finals a week ago. Shortly before the team officially cleared him to play, Thompson spoke to reporters about his condition.
"I feel great, honestly," Thompson said, per Sam Amick of USA Today. "These past two days, I feel like I've got my wind back. Tomorrow is the final tuneup. Just trying to stop the nerves and anxiousness, or keep them down as much as possible."
The Warriors certainly need him. Thompson is the team's second option behind Stephen Curry on offense after averaging 21.7 points per game during the regular season and 19.7 points to this point in the postseason. His ability to hit shots from beyond the arc (42.5 percent in the postseason) and drive to the basket forces teams to focus on more than just Curry on defense and helps the Warriors space the floor.
Without question, it's Curry's show, but without Thompson, the Warriors are a far less effective team. The Splash Brothers lead the way for Golden State, and a healthy Thompson combined with the team's excellent depth make it the favorite in Game 1 and in the series.
