Golden State Warriors guard Klay Thompson. Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports
Golden State Warriors shooting guard Klay Thompson is being monitored for a concussion and must clear head injury protocol to return to the court for Game 1 of the NBA Finals.
Bill Duffy, Thompson’s agent, said Thompson is scheduled to visit a neorologist on Friday morning but expects him to be cleared. After Thompson underwent testing on Thursday, the Warriors called the injury a contusion.
“My understanding is that (testing) was negative,” Duffy told USA Today. “There were no issues.”
Duffy went on to say that Thompson does not have a concussion.
Mychal Thompson said his son was woozy after the game.
“I had to drive him home, and he vomited a couple times,” said Mychal Thompson via ESPN Radio.
In-game concussion tests were not set in motion as in Game 4 when point guard Steph Curry tumbled over the back of Houston Rockets forward Trevor Ariza and landed on his head. But Duffy was not critical of the team and how it dealt with Thompson after he went down.
“I have absolutely no problems with how this was handled,” Duffy said. “I think Klay was communicated with. There was no pressure whatsoever. It’s absolute that this was handled the right way, with communication between the team and us, so I see no issue whatsoever, or no need for scrutiny. … To me, it’s a non-issue as to how it was handled.”
The good news for Thompson and the Warriors for his potential return is the seven-day layoff before the Finals begin June 4 is the longest in league history.
Whether the NBA will take repercussions for the handling of the injury is uncertain.
Thompson received a cut in his left ear and sustained concussion symptoms when he was unintentionally kneed in the head by Ariza on Wednesday.
Thompson received three stitches in his ear after being taken to the locker room following the foul early in the fourth quarter. He returned to the bench but not to the game. Thompson was re-examined after the game, which is when the concussion symptoms were discovered.
The Warriors beat the Rockets 104-90 in Game 5 of the Western Conference finals to advance to the NBA Finals to meet the Cleveland Cavaliers.
