Klay Thompson’s return has been highly anticipated by everyone in the NBA world. There is no doubt that it was good to see the iconic shooting guard return to play, and he definitely had moments where he looked like his old self against the Cleveland Cavaliers.
The Golden State Warriors ended up defeating the Cleveland Cavaliers in Klay Thompson’s debut, 96-82. There’s no doubt that getting a win in Klay Thompson’s first game of the season will boost morale, and the Golden State Warriors offense looked even more dangerous in the minutes Thompson was on the floor.
A lot of NBA fans had things to say after Klay Thompson’s debut, with most praising Klay Thompson for a solid performance after a two-year layoff. 17 points in 19 minutes is not bad at all. A lot of players would need some time to reacclimate to the NBA pace after missing that much time, but Klay Thompson looked fairly comfortable, even throwing down a poster dunk during his minutes. He also shot 37.5% from beyond the arc, so clearly, his jumper is still present. In fact, coach Steve Kerr once even claimed that Klay Thompson would be able to shoot even when he’s 75 years old.
Great day to be a Warrior pic.twitter.com/1YuIASIT1r
— Golden State Warriors (@warriors) January 10, 2022
FORGOT ABOUT KLAY pic.twitter.com/i2ANPgemma
— Rob Perez (@WorldWideWob) January 10, 2022
Klay Thompson with 17 Points in 19 Minutes in his return tonight. 🔥 pic.twitter.com/TjMgoQ5ZjA
— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) January 10, 2022
There is no doubt that the Golden State Warriors will be a much better playoff team with Klay Thompson. While Andrew Wiggins and Jordan Poole are good basketball players, Klay Thompson is a proven No. 2 option on a championship team. His return and how well he continues to perform will be key to how well the Golden State Warriors come playoff time.
The Golden State Warriors still have James Wiseman sidelined, and his return will give them some size and rebounding. It’s crazy to think that the Golden State Warriors were a top-tier team in the Western Conference without Klay Thompson and James Wiseman. Hopefully, Klay Thompson (and eventually James Wiseman) will be reintegrated into the roster seamlessly, and there’s no team that will want to face them come playoff time.
