The Golden State Warriors are patiently counting down the days until they can get their All-NBA player Klay Thompson back on the court. Thompson has had a long road to recovery but is expected to make his return at some point this season.
The sharpshooter has not played in an NBA game since Game 6 of the 2019 NBA Finals. It was in that game that the Warriors were defeated by the Toronto Raptors, but they lost a lot more than just the game.
Thompson ended up tearing his ACL in that game, which knocked him out for the entirety of the 2019-20 season. With the conclusion of that season being pushed back because of the Coronavirus pandemic, Thompson was on track to return for the beginning of the 2020-21 season.
Unfortunately, he suffered another catastrophic injury. This time, he ruptured his Achilles, which ended his season before it even began.
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Now, more than two years removed from his last game action, Thompson is closing in on his return. Originally, it was believed that he would return to the court around Christmas. But, a recent update provided some great news for Thompson and the team.
According to Shams Charania of The Athletic, Thompson is expected to be cleared to return to full-contact practices within the next month. If he is cleared for full-contact practices by mid-November, there is a chance that he could return ahead of the timetable that was originally being mentioned.
Given the severity of the injuries suffered and the fact that he has been sidelined for so long, the Warriors aren’t going to take any chances. He will not get back on the court until he is 100 percent healthy and ready to go.
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If that happens to be before Christmas Day, then so be it. Otherwise, they are fine with waiting things out. Klay Thompson is too important a piece of the puzzle and the Golden State Warriors have bigger aspirations than games in November and early December.