Golden State Warriors shooting guard Klay Thompson has a high left ankle sprain and "significant bruising" following his first-quarter collision with Cleveland Cavaliers swingman J.R. Smith in Game 1 of the NBA Finals, sources told Shams Charania of Yahoo Sports.
At his Saturday media availability, Thompson described his injury as a twisted ankle.
"I'm going to do everything I possibly can to play tomorrow," Thompson told reporters, according to ASAP Sports, though he also admitted the pain level is "not good."
With 6:17 left in the first quarter of Game 1, Smith lost his footing on a closeout and slid into Thompson's legs. Thompson looked to be in considerable pain as he left for the locker room, though the Warriors' star wing would return to still muster a season-high 45 minutes of playing time in his team's overtime win.
"(Smith) was remorseful, so I don't think he meant to do it," Thompson said. "It just sucks. It's a part of the game. It just sucks from the timing, during The Finals. But no one's going to feel sorry for us or me."
Thompson has been his typical cool and steady self throughout the Warriors' postseason run, averaging 20.7 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 1.9 assists while shooting 43.2 percent on nearly eight 3-pointers per game.
More importantly, he's often been tasked with defending his opponents' top wing scoring threats. In a series featuring LeBron James - fresh off a career playoff-best 51 points in Game 1 - any limitations in Thompson's game or an outright absence, however brief, would be concerning.
Of course, given the Warriors' glut of talent, the team is usually in good shape even when Thompson sits. In 178 minutes with Thompson on the bench this postseason, Golden State has outscored its opponents by 13.1 points per 100 possessions.
