Klay Thompson Will Increase Minutes Tonight, says Kerr
It looks like Klay Thompson will see some extended floor time tonight.
Warriors coach Steve Kerr said in pregame media availability that Thompson would be able to increase his minutes to a target of 30, the first time he would be clearing as much since returning for injury. This is a major step for Thompson, who has taken an increased volume to try and make the most of the time he’s given.
In the three seasons before his injury, Klay Thompson averaged exactly 34 minutes per game. In his first two all-star seasons, he averaged 32 and 33 minutes. So far this season, because of his restrictions, Klay has only played about 24 minutes per game. This ramp-up is a significant jump, but it seems like he’s really ready for it based on his play so far.
The minutes increase comes at an opportune time, as the Warriors will play the Oklahoma City Thunder who are currently without their star player, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Even when SGA plays, despite his obvious talent, the Thunder are still in the middle of a rebuild, and thus are a perfect candidate for a minutes-increase game.
Warriors-Thunder tips off at 5pm Pacific time. The Warriors will also have both Otto Porter Jr. (back) and Andre Iguodala (rest) to fill out the rotation. Other than that, it should be a firework show for a revitalized Thompson, who’s played well in tandem with his Splash Brother Steph Curry over their recent stretch of games.
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