Fans in the Bay Area is wondering about the latest Golden State Warriors injury report after losing backup center Kevon Looney indefinitely with a first costal cartilage fracture and Klay Thompson listed as questionable for Game 3 with a strained hamstring.
The NBA Finals migrates to the West Coast for Game 3 with the Golden State Warriors hosting the Toronto Raptors. After Pascal Saikam dropped 32 points to lead the Raptors to victory in Game 1, the Warriors stole a win in Game 2 to tie the series at 1-1.
The Warriors are happy to get the Raptors on their own court at Oracle Arena in Oakland, but how many players will be in street clothes? The injury report list is growing with the additions of Kevin Durant, Kevon Looney, and Klay Thompson.
Other members of the team have also been playing through injuries. Andre Iguodala has been nursing a leg injury and Steph Curry dislocated a finger earlier in the playoffs.
At this point of the playoffs, everyone is hurt. But the Warriors might be tipping off Game 3 without two key starters.
Down Goes Looney
Kevon Looney missed the second half of Game 2 in Toronto after a fall in the first quarter. It seemed like he injured his ribs or his collarbone initially. He played through the pain but he never returned to action in the second half due to a left chest contusion.
Team doctors informed Looney that he fractured the first costal cartilage on the right side of his rib cage. He is out indefinitely.
With Looney down, the Warriors are lucky to have Boogie Cousins back in the lineup. Cousins tore his quad in the opening round of the playoffs against the Clippers. He missed the Western Semifinals and Finals, but returned to action in the NBA Finals. Cousins hit a couple big shots in the fourth quarter of Game 3. Without Looney and a thin bench, Boogie Time becomes even more vital than ever.
Klay Hammy, Where’s KD?
Klay Thompson came out firing on all cylinders in Game 2. He led all scorers in the first half with 18 points including a perfect clip from long range. Even though Thompson left Game 3 prematurely, he still finished with 25 points to lead the Warriors in scoring.
Thompson tweaked his hamstring after an awkward landing after a shot. Head coach Steve Kerr took him out of the game at the start of the fourth quarter and Thompson did not return.
“Klay said he’ll be fine,” said Kerr. “But Klay could be half-dead and he would say he would be fine.”
“No, I don’t see myself missing Game 3,” Thompson told reporters after Game 2.
The Warriors flew back to Oakland and team doctors examined Thompson and he went for an MRI. On Monday, the team updated his status as questionable for Game 3.
Durant is not expected to play in Game 3, however, prognosticators suggested that he would finally be ready by Game 4.
Heading into Game 3 on Wednesday night in Oakland, the Golden State Warriors are now 6-point favorites even with the injuries to Durant and others.