Klay Thompson is finally coming back!
The last time I saw him in an NBA game, Morant was not in the league, Durant was still in the Warriors, Pepper Wei Shao was still in the Thunder, wang Zhelin's signing rights were still in the Grizzlies...
But in the nearly three years since Clay was injured, the NBA has long been in flux. Of course, compared with three years ago, there are still some things in the NBA that have not changed, such as the Warriors are still at the top of the league, Durant still has a super explosive score, and now, Klay is still not the Klay before the injury, which has become a topic that everyone is most concerned about.
Comeback is the first launch, Tang Shen returned to 2015?
Although not a superstar in the league's history, it has not even been selected into the NBA's latest selection of the Top 75. But I don't know if everyone has such a feeling, Klay Thompson's return this time, the position is comparable to Jordan's grandfather's "I'm back".
Anyway, at least Warriors coach Steve Kerr feels that he, who was a teammate with Michael Jordan, has defined Klay Thompson's return as a game that will never be forgotten, "At that time, my emotions must have been very excited, just like when I first welcomed Jordan back to the Bulls." ”
Of course, not only Kerr, but the rest of the Warriors, the expectations of Klay Thompson are also overflowing. After the team officially announced that clay would return against the Cavaliers, Curry replaced all his avatars with Clay and called on fans to share his favorite Clay memories. And Dream Green even sent three messages in a row on social media, expressing his excitement for Clay's comeback, and even suggested that the alliance change the list of the 75 as soon as possible, and now it is too late to regret it.
From player to coach, a player who has not played for three years, the first game of his comeback is so expected, it may be Clay. Moreover, the Warriors' expectations of Klay Thompson are not formal and superficial.
Generally speaking, many players come back from serious injuries and start from the bench. This will not destroy the rotation of the team, especially the mid-season comeback, the rotation of the team has gradually taken shape. At this time, you have to put a person into the starting lineup, which may directly affect the chemistry of the team, and if the team's record is affected, it may even cause a locker room conflict.
But in order to get Klay Thompson back into the starting lineup, the Warriors have clearly been well prepared. Recently, the Warriors have gradually reduced the time that Poole and Curry are on the floor at the same time, and Tea Jordan has been adapting to his role as the sixth man.
And in an interview today, Kerr said again, "When you can cut 60 points in 29 minutes, the coach should let you start, of course Clay will start, that's our plan." However, Clay will start with less responsibility and less playing time. ”
Kerr's words are a recognition of Klay Thompson's past contributions, although the Warriors lineup, even many players have not played with Klay, but immediately after the comeback, it proves that the Warriors still regard Tang Shen as a star player, at least in the locker room. After the comeback start, less responsibility and lower playing time prove that the Warriors are still cautious about Klay Thompson's recovery.
After all, after more than 940 days, it has just returned, and everyone can definitely understand the Warriors' arrangement. The key question now is whether Thompson's position on the court will be the same as in the locker room when he re-adjusts to the rhythm of the game.
This season, the Warriors are back in the top of the West, and you can't help but think of the Warriors in 2015. At that time, the combination of the Splash Brothers and the dream chasing, the Lingyi League, won the championship all the way in doubt. That season, Klay Thompson averaged 31.9 minutes per game, averaging 21.7 points, 3.2 rebounds and 2.9 assists, shooting 46.3 percent from the field and 43.9 percent from three-point range.
But this season, the Warriors have Wiggins in the lineup, there's Jordan Poole, and there are more players who can share the pressure of offensive scoring. Clay has just made a comeback, and both the time on the court and the role of the role are definitely limited. Even if Klay Thompson is well prepared for this comeback, it is clearly unrealistic to immediately return to the 2015 model.
But in the playoffs, the situation may be completely different. At that time, Clay may have returned to more than 30 games, fully adapted to the rhythm of the game. Compared to Wiggins and Jordan Poole, who have not proven themselves in the playoffs, Klay Thompson's playoff experience and big heart at key moments may be relied on by the Warriors. It is estimated that everyone is also thinking about whether they can watch the sixth clay again.
Role role, how is Tang Shen positioned?
In today's highly developed social media, Klay Thompson is one of the few stars in the league who does not have too many black spots. Coupled with his career, Tang Shen's past magical performances, and before his comeback, there were many videos about his fiery feel, which further raised people's expectations for Clay's return this time.
What role will Klay Thompson play when he returns? In fact, the simplest positioning is the shooter, such as Joe Harris and Luke Kennard. The team also does not expect them to be able to contribute too much after they play, as long as they can open up space and contain the defense. When there is an empty space, it is enough to throw the ball in.
For Klay Thompson, who has just returned, this may be the most suitable role for him after his comeback. About a week ago, the Bay Area media posted a video of Klay Thompson's pre-game shooting, and Thompson hit 24 consecutive three-pointers in the bottom corner.
Throughout his career, Klay Thompson averaged seven three-pointers per game and shot 41.9 percent from three-point range, making him the league's top shooter. This season, Gary Payton Jr., who often starts with Curry, has reached 40.9% from three-point range, but only averaged 1.8 shots per game. Jordan Poole, on the other hand, averaged 7.6 three-pointers per game, shooting just 33.7 percent from the field.
Obviously, from the offensive end, Thompson is a better presence. After all, Tang Shen's fame is still there, which means that the players who have defended Peyton Jr. and Poole in the past dare not wantonly pinch Curry. It can be expected that after the comeback, Thompson's shooting is likely to become better than everyone thinks. After all, most of the time he was recuperating, Klay couldn't practice anything except shooting.
Klay Thompson's style of play dictates that as long as he recovers and can play, he will not be a fake starter, not the kind of turnaround runner. After all, since entering the league, Clay has been playing in the Warriors, and he has a better tacit understanding with Curry and Dream than other players in the Warriors. Presumably, many people are now looking forward to the attacking picture of chasing the ball in the high position, Curry and Klay running cross-legged.
However, after all, the annual salary of $37.98 million, ranking 11th in the league this season, Clay's salary is higher than thick eyebrows, Irving, Booker and others. After a brief period of adaptation and run-in after his comeback, whether it is fans, teammates, or Clay himself, they may have a higher expectation for his game.
During the 2019 Grand Finals, Durant suffered a severe injury from a torn Achilles tendon. But after entering the free market, the Nets still gave Durant a big contract. One of the reasons why this is very important is Durant's style of play. He's not a player who relies on his body to create chances and finish the finish, and of course, it turns out that the Nets' judgment is not wrong. Klay Thompson and Durant have similar styles, and projection is their deadliest weapon, which is one reason why everyone is so optimistic about Clay's comeback.
Maybe just after his comeback, Klay Thompson needs to find the shooting rhythm in the game again, but as long as he finds the feeling of the game, Thompson will be like a completely soaked up. Friends who know Klay Thompson know that Tang Shen's scores are often in a string, and in an interview today, Xiaojuan said, "Clay scored 12 points in 43 seconds in the latest training. ”
No one would be surprised by this statistic, because that's what Clay can do. And for this comeback, Clay is in a good state of mind. Clay has already stated that now he doesn't care about data, he just wants to play efficiently.
In fact, compared to the offense, everyone's biggest worry about Klay Thompson may be defense, whether it is 2015 or 2022, the Warriors can play a strong team style, the most critical is their defense. Today, the Warriors' defensive efficiency is still the number one in the league.
Before the injury, Klay Thompson was actually a very reliable defensive player, which can be called the ultimate evolutionary state of 3D players. Facing the Clippers and Rockets, paul and Harden were actually Clay.
After this comeback, you may not worry about Clay's defensive awareness, but after all, he has suffered serious injuries in a row, and in the face of some fast, explosive players, Thompson may not be able to keep up. Continuous tears in the Achilles tendon, as well as tears in the cruciate ligament, will certainly have an impact on Clay's agility and ability to resist.
The good news is that today's Warriors have a deep roster, and they don't lack defensive top players. Gary Payton Jr., Wiggins, Iguodala and Otto Porter can all share the defensive pressure for Clay on the flanks. As long as Klay's defense can reach the league average level, or even say that it is not particularly crotch-pulling, the Warriors may be able to accept it.
Basketball is a sport that scores more than anyone, and against the Knicks 3 years ago today, Clay scored 43 points in just 4 dribbles, and for the Warriors, as long as they can find that Klay, they are a victory.
in Kelsang