It looks like Klay Thompson hasn’t missed a beat since returning from injury.

Thompson, assigned to the G-League earlier this week, has been running full-court, full-contact 5 on 5 practices, and his shooting stroke (as expected) looks great. He even has seen some improvements to his off-the-dribble and pull-up game.

Against his new G-League teammates, Klay Thompson pulled up at the end of the scrimmage and drilled a game-winner on a pull-up three from a few feet behind the line. A classic Klay moment.

Thompson has historically been seen as a three-level scorer, although he has not been firing many of his shots off the bounce. His highest-scoring game, 60 points against the Indiana Pacers in late 2016, came on just 11 dribbles. He scored 40 in another game on 4. His 37-point quarter, good for the NBA record, came on only a few dribbles as well.

There’s no need for Klay to expand his game to include off-the-dribble scoring ability, especially with Jordan Poole and Andrew Wiggins filling roles as self-creating scorers which the Warriors did not have outside of Steph Curry before Kevin Durant joined the team. However, it never hurts to have another, and Thompson has shown he has the capability to get his looks by his own volition.

As he showed with this game-winner, he’s already got some tricks in the bag. If he can add a few more to repertoire, he could be back to All-Star form in no time.

The Warriors’ all-NBA guard is set to return around the Christmas Day matchup with the Suns, who the team plays twice this week. The Suns are entering this game with a 16-win streak, and their high level of play should provide a good barometer for just how integral Thompson will be upon his return.

While he may not come back at full strength, anything Klay Thompson can add will be a boon to the team. It’s not a question of whether the Warriors need him - of course they do - but a question of how much he will contribute.

(Photo credit: Golden State Warriors)