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Klay Thompson is acutely cognizant of the challenge his Golden State Warriors will face in these NBA Finals, needing only four more wins to hoist the Larry O'Brien trophy for a third straight time. The Warriors shooting guard noted the Toronto Raptors are by no means being underestimated and they will have the defending champions' full attention come Game 1 on Thursday.
“They have our respect and we’ll have to come correct tomorrow,” said Thompson ahead of Game 1, according to ESPN's Nick Friedell.
The Warriors are coming off a sweep of the Portland Trail Blazers, peaking at the right time and without their leading scorer in Kevin Durant.
Golden State faces plenty of questions, including the impending return of DeMarcus Cousins this series and the potential inclusion of Durant once he has healed from his calf strain.
Thompson and company have a slim margin for error while playing at less than full strength, especially considering they won't have the home court advantage in the NBA Finals for the first time in the last five seasons.
The Warriors must respect the Raptors before they can beat them, as underestimating this Eastern Conference team can easily result in being forced to come back from major deficits, as they often had to do against the Blazers.
This Raptors team, however, won't hesitate to put the game away if given a lead, making every shot, every possession and every decision all the more important if Golden State hopes to capture glory for a third straight year.
