Klay Thompson’s Injury and his Potential Replacements
Mar 13, 2015; Denver, CO, USA; Golden State Warriors Golden State Warriors guard Justin Holiday (7) shoots the ball over Denver Nuggets forward Kenneth Faried (35) during the second half at Pepsi Center. The Nuggets won 114-103. Mandatory Credit: Chris Humphreys-USA TODAY Sports
Justin Holiday
When the injury was announced, head coach Steve Kerr mentioned that he was leaning towards starting Justin Holiday as Klay Thompson’s replacement.
Steve Kerr said he's leaning toward starting Justin Holiday in Klay Thompson's absence.
— Rusty Simmons (@JRustySimmons) March 17, 2015
Holiday is in his first season with the Warriors and is currently the frontrunner to start. This is a huge opportunity for the shooting guard out of the University of Washington and will only help the Warriors in the future. Holiday, much like Thompson, is tall and long – one of the characteristics of the Warriors roster. His length makes it difficult for his opponent to score and if he gets caught in a pick and roll, he can easily switch onto the screener. He is nowhere near the defender Thompson is but his length will be his biggest asset in contesting shots and preventing penetration.
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On offense, Holiday has shown signs that he can hit the three at a decent percentage. He is no Thompson but Holiday is no slouch shooting the rock, knocking down 35 percent from behind the arc. With even more attention drawn to Stephen Curry and Draymond Green, Holiday should see his percentage increase for the simple reason that opponents will not be paying attention to him and Curry and Green will find the open man.
Holiday’s advantage over Thompson would be his athleticism. Holiday can jump out of the gym and Warriors fans should not be shocked if the Warriors run a few more backdoor lob plays for the young wing. It would add another wrinkle to the Warriors’ already dynamic and fluid offense, one more thing their opponents will be worrying about as the postseason approaches.
Next: Leandro Barbosa