The Return of Klay Thompson

A familiar face entered the tunnels of Chase Center.

While dawning what will be his new signature headband look, Warriors guard Klay Thompson went through his warmup routine with fellow splash brother Stephen Curry.

It’s been exactly 941 days since Thompson had played a game of basketball, and with the anticipation getting higher and higher, Thompson eventually made his return announcement on Jan. 8 via Instagram.

The Warriors starting lineup featured Curry, Thompson, Andrew Wiggins, Draymond Green and Kevon Looney. Green would later exit the game due concerns over a calf injury but wanted to be out there to support his fellow Warrior.

In the first play of the game, everyone knew where the ball was going to end up. Klay received a down screen on the left side of the floor where he glided into a layup.

However, in the postgame presser, Warriors Head Coach Steve Kerr revealed that the play wasn’t designed for him.

“I drew the first play not for him, but to catch it and move it on,” Kerr said. “I should’ve known better. He just caught it, drove, and scored. It was a phenomenal moment. It was a beautiful night.”

Then, while being switched to Cavs center Jarrett Allen, Klay executed a right-to-left crossover and dunked on two defenders, which sent Chase Center ablaze.

“Even when he had perfect knees and Achilles, he didn’t dunk like that,” Looney said.

For his first three, Warriors forward Otto Porter Jr. collapsed the defense when he drove baseline and found a wide-open Thompson on the left wing. With his feet set, Klay drained the triple.

“I was nervous to start,” Thompson said. “I’m just so grateful to be out here, the love I received pregame, the video tributes it was special. This is a night I will never forget, and it lived up to all the hype and I’m just very grateful for our fanbase, it’s incredible.”

At halftime, Klay had seven points on 3/9 shooting and was 1-for-4 from three. A lot of his shots were well short, but he had plenty of good looks that came from within the flow of the game.

Klay made the adjustment and scored seven straight in the second half that was very reminiscent of his shooting abilities.

After slipping the screen for Curry, Klay floated to the left corner where he nailed a fadeaway shot. Then, an isolation midrange splash on Cavs forward Lauri Markkanen got him going, and finally a transition three on the right wing opened the floodgates.

“There’s still like four or five shots I should’ve made, but I’m just happy that I’m here and I can say that,” Klay said. “The last two years was tough, and it felt great to get the first one out off the way. Obviously, the win is the most important and it was an emotional night. I did not know I was going to dunk on somebody my first game back, so hooray for me.”

Number 11 ended the night on 17 points while shooting 3/8 from three and 7/17 from the floor in just 20 minutes of play. Klay also registered a block on Markkanen, demonstrating his defensive prowess.

As Klay came out of the game in the 2:41 mark of the fourth, the crowd went into a frenzy while chanting “We want Klay!”

Kerr said that he will ramp up Klay’s minutes in increments of five while playing no less than 18 minutes per game.

It was an emotional night for not only the Warriors, but the entire NBA community.

Welcome back Klay Thompson.

(Photo credit: Thearon W. Henderson / Getty Images)