Klay Thompson got off to an awful start in Game 3 tonight, shooting 0-for-5 from the field and missing both his free throws.
Then, it got worse.
The Warriors guard suffered a left-thigh contusion when colliding with Timofey Mozgov late in the first quarter. Thompson went to the locker room then returned to the game in the middle of the second quarter.
Thompson:I didn’t get it. I don’t know. I’m guarding Kyrie. I’m running full speed downhill. I just don’t know who’s trying to set a pick on you in the middle of the key. If it’s on the perimeter, I understand. But it didn’t make sense to me.
Obviously, it didn’t feel good, but I’ll alright. Luckily for us, I’m going to take the day off tomorrow and get healthy. But it’s the Finals. Nothing is going to keep me out of it.
But I re-watched it. I’m just confused why he’s trying to set a screen in the middle of the key when we’re both running full speed downhill. It seemed kind of dirty to me. He stuck his knee out, too. But you know what? That’s basketball.
I’m not nearly as convinced this was dirty.
Kyrie Irving was rushing to get a two-for-one, and the Cavaliers’ timing looked completely off on the play. There’s a decent chance Mozgov wanted to get set but Irving sped by more quickly than the Cleveland center anticipated.
Even as the screen was being set, it’d take some impressive knee-eye coordination by Mozgov to knee Thompson in the thigh while, as Thompson put it, they’re “both running full speed downhill.” It appeared to me that Mozgov’s knee went out because he was still moving his legs to get into position.
That said, it also might have been dirty. Just because I see a plausible explanation for Mozgov doesn’t mean I know what was in his mind.