Klay Thompson relishes his ‘so special’ return to playoffs for Warriors
Klay Thompson drops 19 points as Warriors take Saturday night's playoff
opener over Denver
>SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA – APRIL 16: Golden State Warriors’ Klay
Thompson (11) celebrates after scoring against the Denver Nuggets in the
second quarter of Game 1 of their NBA first round playoff series at
Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Saturday, April 16, 2022. (Ray
Chavez/Bay Area News Group)against
>SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA – APRIL 16: Golden State Warriors’ Klay
Thompson (11) celebrates after scoring against the Denver Nuggets in the
second quarter of Game 1 of their NBA first round playoff series at
Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Saturday, April 16, 2022. (Ray
Chavez/Bay Area News Group)against
By CAM INMAN | cinman@bayareanewsgroup.com | Bay Area News Group
PUBLISHED: April 16, 2022 at 9:19 p.m. | UPDATED: April 16, 2022 at 9:25
p.m.
https://www.eastbaytimes.com/2022/04/16/klay-thompson-relishes-his-so-special-return-to-playoffs-for-warriors/

SAN FRANCISCO — Klay Thompson took a seat at the postgame podium,
proudly called Jordan Poole “a star in the making,” then reminded
everyone how Steph Curry’s presence “makes us a championship team.”

OK, but, what do you say, Klay, about your hard-fought return to the
playoff stage?

“So special,” Thompson answered after Saturday night’s 123-107,
series-opening win over Denver. “Before the tip, I thought about all the
days in the gym, the days in the doctor’s office, the surgery table.

“To fly up and down the court, knock shot downs, play solid defense, it
was a surreal moment for me.”

No, he was not Golden State’s leading scorer, a title that went to Poole
with 30 points in his playoff debut.

Nor did Thompson necessarily draw the loudest cheers, not when Curry
drops in 16 points in 22 limited minutes fresh off a foot injury.

But all seven of Thompson’s baskets drew appreciation from the Chase
Center crowd — and, seemingly, from himself — in the Warriors’ win over
the Denver Nuggets in Saturday night’s first-round opener.

“To play in front of the crowd we had, I give Dub Nation amazing
credit,” Thompson said. “They were so loud when we ran from the tunnel.

“It’s something I won’t take for granted — playoff basketball. It was
very surreal for me.”

As for Thompson’s laid-back persona, he put that on hold. This was
playoff time. His face unleashed an occasional snarl, and his 3-point
stroke came with a 50-percent success rate (5-of-10).

Thompson’s intensity really roared 6:25 before halftime, when he and
Nuggets forward Aaron Gordon each drew technical fouls. Gordon, a San
Jose native and former Mitty star, surely did not endear himself to the
Bay Area with that squabble. Alas, there were no fisticuffs, nor any
nefarious acts toward Thompson’s surgically repaired knee and Achilles.

“Good, old-fashioned trash talk,” Thompson said. “I missed the
competitiveness of it. That stuff gets me going from time to time.
Aaron’s competitive. So am I. I’m not going to back down.”

Wearing a black headband with a matching sweatband around his left
elbow, Thompson sprang up and down the court all night without a sign of
his previous leg issues. He had no hitch in his giddy-up.

Alas, Thompson wasn’t spot on from the jump. He missed a 3-point attempt
on the Warriors’ opening possession, and not long afterward he committed
the first of three turnovers.

Next trip down the court came classic Klay: he vengefully hit a
3-pointer along the right wing, off a Draymond Green assist.

“Klay had a big night shooting the ball,” coach Steve Kerr said.

In the heat of competition, it was easy to forget all the rehabilitation
and trials Thompson endured since his anterior cruciate ligament tear in
the 2019 NBA Finals and his right Achilles tear before the 2020-21 season.

--
Krystle
@Krystle_Bee
This new Klay x KP Thrive commercial 🥹
[video]
9:51 PM · Apr 15, 2022
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--

Thompson missed 941 days. The number of minutes he played during this
regular season’s comeback: 941, a nifty stat supplied by Raymond Ridder,
the Warriors’ vice president of communications.

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Kerr said before tipoff how Thompson had regained a harmonious balance
to his life, how the preceding years of health issues were “really,
really hard on him,” how his passion for basketball could not be
replaced simply by boating in the bay or hanging with his dog, Rocco.
Every Thompson bucket (7-of-15 field-goal attempts, 5-of-10 on 3-point
shots) commanded respect, like after his layup and ensuing 3-pointer
that put the Warriors ahead 51-45 just before halftime.

Now, he was not a defensive menace. He allowed the occasional drives to
the hoop in his one-on-one matchup. He had no steals.

But he was back in the playoffs. He appreciated it. The crowd did, too.

--
Cam Inman | San Francisco 49ers reporter
Cam Inman joined the Bay Area News Group in 1995, specializing in the
49ers and NFL since 2000.