"Coach, wait for me to come back."
On June 14, 2019, in game 6 of the Finals, 2 minutes and 22 seconds before the end of the third quarter, Klay Thompson dribbled to the basket on the counter-attack, jumped to prepare for the dunk, Danny Green defended foul, Thompson twisted his left knee when he landed, he told Warriors coach Kerr that he might be able to play again after a break.
At that time, no one thought that this wait would be so long. January 10, 2022, is the expected date for Thompson's comeback, 941 days after he last played an official game in the NBA.
Thompson is finally coming back, he brings hope, but also brings questions, and the answers to these questions are not only about Thompson's career, but also about the league's championship pattern.
1. Can Thompson be "full of blood"?
"I should need a few games, or a few weeks to get back to All-Star level." Thompson said.
Thompson is very confident, the development of sports medicine also makes him look forward to the return of the king, Durant experienced a serious Achilles tendon injury, after the comeback in a heroic state, is the perfect template.
However, Thompson is different from Durant, he first tears the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee, and then the right Achilles tendon tear, these two injuries each need a year to recover, Thompson actually used two and a half years, he and the Warriors' caution, enough to explain the seriousness of the injury, Thompson was 29 years old when he injured his knee, and he was about to turn 32 when he came back.
Two major injuries are superimposed, age increases, and if Thompson's athletic ability is not damaged in the slightest, it is a miracle of human function and sports medicine.
2. How will Thompson rotate?
Kerr gave a very clear answer to the role Thompson will play in the rotation lineup after his comeback.
'He starts when he comes back, and I'm not going to make him a substitute for a while."
Thompson's comeback to start directly shows that the Warriors are more satisfied with his recovery on the one hand, and on the other hand, it is also directly related to his playing style.
Thompson is not Durant's offensive type with the ball, and 80% of his three-point shots in the 2018-19 season are catch projections, playing with the starters, Draymond Green can provide the pass, Curry brings space, which will help Thompson integrate into the game faster.
Putting Thompson in the starting lineup means that Poole has a good chance of locking in the sixth man, and the Warriors have already made such an attempt after he lifted the health and safety agreement, although there are considerations for the alignment, but there are also ideas to pave the way for Thompson to start. Poole has developed the ability to hold the ball, it is appropriate to bring a second lineup, Thompson's technical characteristics are more suitable for starting, and the Warriors will have better lineup depth and more flexible rotation.
Durant returned last season to play an average of 33 minutes per game in the regular season, which has certain reference value for Thompson, but the situation between the two is not the same, Adu before playing the regular season, experienced a complete training camp and pre-season, Thompson is the mid-season comeback, he was mainly through the G League and the team to play against the game preparation, the readiness is not as good as Durant in 2020, so the playing time will be more gradual and gradually increased.
Thompson himself revealed that after the comeback, the game will be arranged according to about 18 minutes, and Cole's plan is 15 to 20 minutes, and it is expected to take a back-to-back break, which is more in line with Thompson's actual situation. The Warriors' record and roster depth can support Thompson's gradual increase in the load of the game, and the team and he are not in a hurry, nor are they in a hurry.
3. How is Thompson's combat strength after his comeback?
Two consecutive major injuries, Thompson's absolute level of movement may inevitably decline to a certain extent, once this will have an impact on his comeback offensive and defensive output?
Thompson's offensive style is to run and catch the ball, he ran a total of 1267 miles on the field in the five seasons before the knee injury, the number one in the league, endurance is one of Thompson's game marks, and he has not played for more than two years, and there must be an adaptation period in terms of endurance.
Don't worry about shooting, as a historical shooter, Thompson has already formed a deep muscle memory, and shooting training has been going on during his recovery. Warriors rookie Moody described Thompson's shooting practice this way: "One ball after another hollow into the net, I watched for so long, that is, two or three are touching the basket and then going in, the rest are all squirming, I have never seen such a accurate shot." 」 ”
As long as Thompson regains the feeling of his legs and shakes off the "rust" brought by the long absence to the rhythm of shooting and physical confrontation, his habitual offensive style can be reproduced. More worrisome than offensive, Thompson is defensive. Defense for lateral movement, instantaneous start explosive power, has higher requirements, Thompson's positioning before the injury is the best 3D, "3" should still be there, but "D" is somewhat unpredictable, need to be verified by the game.
4. How strong can the "Splash Brothers" recombine be?
Curry has had a lot of highlight moments this season and has constantly set new three-point records, but an objective fact is that his shooting percentage this season is only higher than the 2019-20 season, which only played 5 games due to injuries and other reasons.
There are three main reasons for this situation, one is that Curry's basket finishing efficiency is not as good as in previous years, although it can not be conclusive, but it seems to have a certain relationship with age. The second is to encounter opponents chasing and blocking, especially in the key moments of the game (within 5 points of the last 5 minutes), Curry's shooting rate is only 34%, and the three-point shooting rate is 26%. Third, Curry gained muscle in the offseason, which is conducive to physical confrontation, but to a certain extent reduces agility and endurance, and he takes on more defensive tasks than before, and the physical fitness on the offensive end is further affected.
Thompson's return, the most direct effect is space, with Thompson on the court, the opponent does not dare to easily shrink the defense line, will also be jealous of the bag clip, Curry whether it is to attack the basket or shoot outside, the defensive pressure will be reduced. Thompson can't make Curry younger, but he can make the old buddy play a little easier.
If Thompson's recovery is ideal, and two major injuries do not constitute a significant cut to his defense, Thompson will be the one to relieve Curry's worries on the defensive end, allowing Curry to use more energy on offense.
5, Thompson returned, "Cosmic Courage" also returned?
The Warriors have had a great record this season, but they are not invulnerable. Of the nine games the Warriors lost, six lost in critical periods within a five-point difference in the final five minutes of the game.
The Warriors' flaw in killing key moments is that there is no stable forced crack defender outside of Curry, and the other side is well aware that the Warriors will give the ball to Curry in a decisive situation, and encircling Curry is the best way to solve the Warriors.
Peak Thompson is the league's top key man, calm and cold-blooded, shooting 46.3% from the field and 41% from three-point range at key moments in the 2018-19 season, and he can catch the ball and shoot directly, as well as provide space support for Curry while contributing on the defensive end.
The warriors' lower limit this season is very stable, but how high the ceiling is still difficult to predict, their ceiling depends on Thompson's performance after his comeback, if the near-peak Tang Shen can come back, the opponent's "frightened" Cosmic Yong can also come back.
In the previous two seasons, the Warriors, without Thompson, had failed to make the playoffs. In the next 5 seasons, the Warriors with Thompson reached the Finals and won three championships. The Warriors know very well what it's like to have Thompson and what it's like to be without him when they're in real tough battles.