SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA – JAN. 9: Golden State Warriors’ Klay Thompson (11) stands during the playing of the national anthem before the start of their NBA game against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Sunday, Jan. 9, 2022. This is the first time that Thompson has played since Game 6 of the 2019 NBA Finals when he tore his ACL against the Toronto Raptors. (Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Area News Group)
After 941 days not playing, it took 40 seconds of game time for Klay Thompson to get his first basket, a floating jumper from about eight feet out.
Thompson’s return wasn’t complete until his first 3-pointer, which came with 1:18 left before halftime and counted as Thompson’s 12,000th career point. His next 3, 2:50 into the second half, gave him 1,800 3’s for his career.
Thompson saw his time in spurts of about 4 minutes each at the start and end of each quarter. Despite limited action, Thompson made his presence felt — for more reasons than the energy emanating through the arena. In 9 first-half minutes, Thompson launched nine shots.
He was 7 of 18 from the field and 3 of 8 from 3-point range, and ended up with 17 points in the Warriors 96-82 win over the Cavaliers.
For everyone in the arena, Sunday was all about Klay.
Bay Area News Group’s Evan Webeck contributed to this report.
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA – JAN. 9: Golden State Warriors’ Klay Thompson (11) acknowledges the crowd as he heads to the locker room after their NBA game against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Sunday, Jan. 9, 2022. (Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Area News Group) (Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Area News Group)SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA – JANUARY 9: Golden State Warriors’ Klay Thompson (11) passes the ball against Cleveland Cavaliers’ Evan Mobley (4) and Cleveland Cavaliers’ Lauri Markkanen (24) in the fourth quarter at the Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Sunday, Jan. 9, 2022. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group) SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA – JAN. 9: Golden State Warriors’ Klay Thompson (11) goes up and makes a basket against Cleveland Cavaliers’ Jarrett Allen (31) in the first quarter of their NBA game at Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Sunday, Jan. 9, 2022. This is the first time that Thompson scored a basket since Game 6 of the 2019 NBA Finals when he tore his ACL against the Toronto Raptors. (Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Area News Group) SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA – JAN. 9: Fans cheer and holds signs for Golden State Warriors’ Klay Thompson (11) before the start of their NBA game against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Sunday, Jan. 9, 2022. This is the first time that Thompson has played since Game 6 of the 2019 NBA Finals when he tore his ACL against the Toronto Raptors. (Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Area News Group) (Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Area News Group)SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA – JAN. 9: Golden State Warriors’ Klay Thompson (11) shoots and makes a 3-point basket against the Cleveland Cavaliers in the fourth quarter of their NBA game at Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Sunday, Jan. 9, 2022. (Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Area News Group) SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA – JANUARY 9: Golden State Warriors’ Klay Thompson (11) dunks the ball against Cleveland Cavaliers’ Lamar Stevens (8) in the second quarter at the Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Sunday, Jan. 9, 2022. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group) SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA – JAN. 9: Golden State Warriors’ Klay Thompson (11) reacts after making a 3-point basket past Cleveland Cavaliers’ Cedi Osman (16) in the second quarter of their NBA game at Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Sunday, Jan. 9, 2022. The basket was Thompson’s 12,000 career points. (Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Area News Group) SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA – JANUARY 9: Golden State Warriors’ Klay Thompson (11) dribbles against Cleveland Cavaliers’ Jarrett Allen (31) and Cleveland Cavaliers’ Lamar Stevens (8) in the first quarter at the Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Sunday, Jan. 9, 2022. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group) SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA – JANUARY 9: A fan holds their homemade sign in support of Golden State Warriors’ Klay Thompson (11) before their game against the Cleveland Cavaliers at the Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Sunday, Jan. 9, 2022. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group) SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA – JANUARY 9: Golden State Warriors’ Klay Thompson (11) goes up and makes a basket against Cleveland Cavaliers’ Lauri Markkanen (24) in the first quarter of their NBA game at Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Sunday, Jan. 9, 2022. (Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Area News Group) SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA – JANUARY 9: Golden State Warriors’ Klay Thompson (11) takes a shot against Cleveland Cavaliers’ Lauri Markkanen (24) in the first quarter at the Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Sunday, Jan. 9, 2022. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA – JANUARY 9: Golden State Warriors’ Klay Thompson (11) celebrates his dunk against the Cleveland Cavaliers in the second quarter at the Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Sunday, Jan. 9, 2022. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group) SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA – JANUARY 9: Golden State Warriors’ Klay Thompson (11) scores the first basket of the game against Cleveland Cavaliers’ Jarrett Allen (31) in the first quarter at the Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Sunday, Jan. 9, 2022. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group) SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA – JAN. 9: Golden State Warriors’ Klay Thompson (11) sits with teammates Draymond Green (23) and Stephen Curry (30) before the start of their NBA game against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Sunday, Jan. 9, 2022. This is the first time that Thompson has played since Game 6 of the 2019 NBA Finals when he tore his ACL against the Toronto Raptors. (Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Area News Group) (Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Area News Group)SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA – JANUARY 9: Golden State Warriors fans cheer and photograph Klay Thompson (11) as he warms up before their game against the Cleveland Cavaliers at the Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Sunday, Jan. 9, 2022. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group) SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA – JAN. 9: Golden State Warriors’ Klay Thompson (11) adjusts his shirt while warming up on the court before the start of their NBA game against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Sunday, Jan. 9, 2022. This is the first time that Thompson has played since Game 6 of the 2019 NBA Finals when he tore his ACL against the Toronto Raptors. (Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Area News Group) SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA – JANUARY 9: Golden State Warriors’ Klay Thompson (11) hugs Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr before the start of their game against the Cleveland Cavaliers at the Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Sunday, Jan. 9, 2022. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
