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The Golden State Warriors still weren't at full-strength on Friday night. Just imagine how much more poorly Game 4 might have gone, then, if Klay Thompson and Kevon Looney didn't return so soon from injuries that would normally warrant weeks of rest and rehabilitation.
After the Toronto Raptors beat his team 105-92 on Friday in what could be the last game ever played at Oracle Arena, Golden State coach Steve Kerr succinctly summed up the efforts of Thompson and Looney.
“They're both Warriors, no pun intended,” he said, per Mark Medina of The Mercury News.
Thompson suffered a strained left hamstring in the fourth quarter of Game 2, a gritty Warriors victory at Scotiabank Arena. Despite some optimism that he would be able to play in the following game, he was ruled out for Wednesday's contest just before tipoff. In Game 4, though, Thompson was no worse for wear, scoring 28 points on 11-of-18 shooting and knocking down 6-of-10 from beyond the arc.
Looney, meanwhile, took a hard fall in the first half of Game 2 while contesting a shot at the rim by Raptors superstar Kawhi Leonard. He was subsequently diagnosed with a fractured collarbone, with reports suggesting it was very unlikely he would be able to return to the Finals. Instead, Looney was back in the lineup on Friday, scoring 10 points and grabbing six rebounds in 20 minutes of play, more than any Golden State big man except Draymond Green.
Two-time reigning Finals MVP Kevin Durant remains sidelined by a hamstring injury he suffered in Game 5 of the second round. His status going forward remains unknown.
Toronto leads Golden State 3-1. Game 5 is on Monday at Scotiabank Arena.
