Golden State Warriors guard Klay Thompson said that his injured left hamstring should feel better in Game 5 against the Toronto Raptors despite playing over 42 minutes in Game 4:

Thompson exited Game 2 and missed all of Game 3 despite imploring coaches and trainers to play, which now appears to be the right decision.

Although Thompson was exceptional in Game 4–scoring 28 points and shooting 6 of 10 from three-point land–he was receiving treatment throughout the game, and looked extremely comfortable harboring weight on his left side.

Indeed, Thompson revealed that he was not at full strength in Game 4, playing closer to “80 percent:”

He did not make excuses for the injury in the postgame press conferences, insisting that nearly everyone is banged up at this stage of the season. But facing a 1-2 deficit, Thompson understood that he had to play through the pain to try to even the series.

And facing elimination on Monday night, Thompson stressed that the Warriors are at their collective best when they are faced with adversity:

RECOMMENDED (Article Continues Below)
Klay Thompson and Chris Paul

Benedetto Vitale ·

Golden State Warriors Guard Stephen Curry with former executive Jerry West

Fabian Diego Miguel de la Paz ·

Stephen Curry, Warriors, Curry Warriors, NBA playoffs, Curry clutch

Jackson Stone ·

In the midst of all of the drama surrounding Kevin Durant and Golden State's health issues, Thompson has been incredibly effective in the series. He is averaging 24.7 points, 4.3 rebounds and 2.7 assists while shooting an astounding 59 percent from beyond the arc.

Still, Thompson's brilliance has not helped the Warriors overcome the loss of Durant on the offensive side of the ball. What is more puzzling is the fact that Thompson actually has a lower usage rate than DeMarcus Cousins.

Should Thompson prove to be fully healthy on Monday night, the Warriors might make more concerted efforts to get him the ball early and often.