Klay Thompson’s shooting ability and defensive prowess is well-noted, but the Golden State Warriors truly appreciate his durability over the course of his career.
Klay Thompson missed two games with a knee injury and the impact was immediately felt as the Golden State Warriors narrowly escaped the Philadelphia 76ers and then were blown out on national television to the Boston Celtics.
Then, Thompson returned last Friday night against the second-seeded Denver Nuggets.
The result?
39 points, 13-22 FG including 9-11 from beyond the arc. A knee injury limited him to just two games missed, and when he came back it looked like he never missed a beat.
The Warriors cherish Klay Thompson’s shooting touch from almost anywhere on the court, they understand how valuable he is on the defensive end, almost always guarding the opposing team’s best player in the backcourt.
But sometimes what often goes overlooked is a trait of his that has proven to be invaluable: his durability.
Marcus Thompson of The Athletic made note of an incredible stat: since Thompson became a starter he’s missed just 23 games out of 685 games played in the regular season and the postseason (meaning he’s been on the court, ready to go, 96.6 percent of the time).