Warriors shooting guard Klay Thompson is hoping to return from a torn Achilles before the 41-game mark, but stressed he can’t say for sure of that will happen.
“I don’t know. It’s really hard to say. It’s definitely a feel thing,” Thompson told reporters, via Connor Letourneau of the San Francisco Chronicle. “Hopefully sooner rather than later because I am really excited to get back to balling.”
Thompson has actually missed two straight seasons after tearing his ACL during the 2019 Finals.
Several weeks ago, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski said he has heard Thompson could return before Christmas.
“I’m told if he continues on his current course right now in rehab, that a target date for his return will be set probably within the next couple weeks,” Wojnarowski said on the “NBA Countdown” show, via RealGM. “And it could be … there’s optimism it could be as soon as December 20, December 23.”
Either way, the Warriors (15-2) have been rolling without Thompson, as well as injured second-year center James Wiseman.
While Steph Curry is considered Golden State’s star, they made five straight Finals appearances with a healthy Thompson — and haven’t even made the playoffs since. Of course, Curry was injured for part of those seasons, too.
Thompson, 31, is 6-foot-6 and averaged 21.5 points in his last season of 2018-19. He had been on a run of five straight seasons of averaging at least 20 points when the first injury occurred.
Now, Thompson thinks the Finals are again within sight.
“We are now a type of team where it’s championship or bust,” he said. “That’s a really cool position to be in. Not a lot of guys get to experience that.”
Does Thompson think the Warriors can win a title this season?
“Oh yeah,” he said.
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