Will Klay Thompson Complete His Redemption Arc In Game 6?
June 13, 2019 will forever be a date connected to Klay Thompson and the Golden State Warriors.
In Game 6 of the 2019 NBA Finals on this date, Thompson and the Warriors were looking to complete a comeback against the Toronto Raptors and force a decisive Game 7 with a title on the line.
This goal was never achieved though for the Warriors and for Thompson, a cloud of doubt was thrown over his career due to a torn ACL in Game 6 of this series. The Raptors won the title in 2019 and the Warriors entered a dark place as a franchise.
Perhaps nobody was in a darker place though than Klay Thompson.
The love Thompson has for the game of basketball has been in his blood his entire life, as Klay’s father, Mychal Thompson played in the league for 12 seasons, winning two championships with the Los Angeles Lakers. Just being out on the floor by himself, shooting three-points in an empty gym gives Klay Thompson joy that cannot be put into words.
Suffering a torn left ACL in the 2019 NBA Finals, this joy was stolen from Thompson and he faced an uphill battle to get back out on the court knowing that he would not be able to contribute for his team at all during the 2019-20 season, a year in which the Warriors went 15-50, their worst record as a franchise since the 1952-53 season when they were the Philadelphia Warriors.
Anticipation grew in the offseason following the 2019-20 season for Klay Thompson’s return to the court, a return that could promptly return the Golden State Warriors to the top of the NBA standings, but yet another “doomsday scenario” presented itself to Thompson and this franchise.
On the afternoon of the 2020 NBA Draft, Thompson ruptured his right Achilles tendon while playing pick-up basketball with other NBA talents in Los Angeles. Yet another long and grueling road was ahead of Klay Thompson in yet another recovery process and doubts began to form about if he would actually play another game in the NBA.
Not only were these doubts being casted from outside the Warriors’ organization, but Thompson himself was in a very dark place and he was seen emotionally visibly shaken at times over the course of the 2020-21 season on the team’s bench due to the fact that he could not do what he loves.
However, he was not about to let these injuries define his career and throughout his rehabilitation process from this ruptured Achilles, many within the Warriors organization noticed a different sense of pride and motivation from Thompson.
Finally, after 941 days of recovery, stress and mental fatigue, Klay Thompson made his return to the court in what was one of the best moments of the 2021-22 NBA season.
Just the smile on his face and the road of applause from the fans packed inside of Chase Center on January 9, 2022 was enough to make any NBA fan happy whether they are a fan of the Warriors or not.
Klay Thompson is such a likeable guy across the entire NBA and now, still looking to rekindle the flame he had earlier in his career before these career-threatening leg injuries, Thompson has a chance to prove he is back in a big way.
The Golden State Warriors are currently in the midst of the 2022 NBA Finals against the Boston Celtics and now leading the series 3-2, the Warriors have a chance to win their fourth title in the last eight seasons with a win on Thursday in Game 6.
Seeing as the Warriors are preparing for Game 6, this can only mean one thing – “Game 6 Klay.”
Throughout his entire career, Klay Thompson has been known as “Game 6 Klay” in the postseason simply because his best games of every single playoff series usually come in the sixth game.
Nobody, not even Klay himself knows why he tends to take over in Game 6 of any series he is in, but now, this game on Thursday has an added bonus to it.
Not only can Klay Thompson prove that he is back with a masterful performance in Game 6 against the Boston Celtics, but he can deliver the Warriors yet another title with a big performance.
“I would like to have a big night and win the game. It doesn't matter what any of us do individually. The main goal is just to win one game,” Thompson told reporters on Wednesday. “I don't want to put any extra pressure on myself to live up to my name. I just want to go out there and play free, trust my teammates. And I know great things will happen if I do those two things.”
Staying optimistic and fighting hard to once again be able to do what he loves is what has led Klay Thompson to this point and now, the only person standing in the way of him reaching his goals is himself.
A three-time champion, a two-time All-NBA performer, a five-time All-Star, and a one-time All-Defensive player.
This is what Thompson has achieved to this point in his career and all that matters now for the Warriors’ shooting guard is changing that “three-time” in front of champion to “four-time.”
“I don't think the championship we think about too much because we've talked about it, like just being present. You do yourself a disservice if you think about things that don't even exist yet,” Thompson went on to say on Wednesday. “But I can tell you this: We're all ready for the opportunity, and we're all very excited.”
From champion to devastation to heartbreak to the comeback, the next and final piece of Klay Thompson’s NBA story is redemption.
Seeing his career change for the worse in Game 6 of the 2019 NBA Finals, only for it to renew three years later in Game 6 of the 2022 NBA Finals would almost be fairytale-like.
Yet another historic performance in Game 6 for “Game 6 Klay” could very well be on the horizon and should this be the case, Klay Thompson will once again be on top of the basketball world with the Golden State Warriors.
Only this time, the celebration for Klay personally would mean more than just winning a championship, it would mean the end to the darkest chapter of his life.
