With four All-Star players all in their prime, one underrated aspect is the mental and physical toll it takes to be the league's next dynasty. As the Golden State Warriors embark on winning three championships in four consecutive NBA Finals appearance, their core has dealt with injuries during the latter stages of the 2017-18 NBA season.
As Stephen Curry is expected to miss the first round of the playoffs, Kevin Durant and Draymond Green recently returned. In addition, Klay Thompson will now join them as he is set to return against the Sacramento Kings according to Chris Haynes of ESPN:
Golden State guard Klay Thompson tells ESPN he will return from a fractured right thumb tonight at Sacramento. He had missed the past eight games.
— Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) March 31, 2018
For Thompson, it will be interesting to see if the tape around his thumb will affect his shooting. Through 66 appearances, the 28-year-old is averaging 19.7 points (49.0 percent shooting from the field and 44.2 percent from the three-point line), 3.8 rebounds, and 2.7 assists in 34.4 minutes.
With seven games remaining in the season and the Houston Rockets securing the best record in the league, the Warriors are in unfamiliar territory. As it may take time for the Warriors to find their rhythm again without Curry, the Rockets are considered their biggest threat in quite some time. Although a hypothetical Game 7 in the Western Conference Finals would take place in Houston, Golden State has shown they are more than capable of winning on the road.
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