Stephen Curry expects Klay Thompson return to boost Golden State Warriors defense in NBA Finals Game 4
Watch Game 4 of the NBA Finals in the early hours of Saturday morning (2am) live on Sky Sports Arena
Friday 7 June 2019 22:30, UK
Stephen Curry expects team-mate Klay Thompson's biggest impact for the Golden State Warriors to come at the defensive end upon his expected return from injury for Game 4 of the NBA Finals.
Live NBA: Toronto @ Golden State
Thompson, who missed Wednesday's Game 3 defeat to the Raptors due to a hamstring strain, is one of the league's best three-point shooters and is famed for his ability to heat up quickly on offense.
However, Curry believes it is Thompson's defense that will be most vital to the Warriors as they attempt to turn around a 2-1 deficit on Friday night at Oracle Arena.
"We can't fall into the trap of thinking offense alone is going to win us another championship or letting that end of the floor affect our defense," Curry said on the heels of a postseason career-best 47-point performance in the Warriors' Game 3 loss.
Thompson is scheduled to play on Friday barring any further issues with his strained left hamstring, after he sat out the 123-109 loss on Wednesday, while Kevin Durant remains sidelined as he attempts to work back from a strained right calf.
With the way Kawhi Leonard, Kyle Lowry and Danny Green delivered time and again for the Raptors to answer every big shot by Curry, Thompson's defense will be a key part of the two-time defending champions' adjustment as they try to even the series at home before another trip to Toronto.
"People fall in love with his shooting and how hot he can get on the offensive end, but the way that our team plays defensively and the chemistry that we have and the experience, he's right at the forefront of that," Curry said.
"And it's a tough adjustment when guys who haven't been in that position consistently and in these type of moments are thrown into his minutes. So you would love to have him out there on that end of the floor as well, especially with a team like Toronto."
Thompson, who was injured late in Golden State's Game 2 win at Toronto, even surprised the Raptors when he didn't take the court for tip-off.
The Raptors still had him on the board to play when the team left the locker room just before game time.
Not facing Thompson became a key advantage and all five Toronto starters scored in double figures as Curry was forced to take on a greater load.
"He's a great defender. I think he's one of the best, right up there at the top of the best wing defenders in the league," Raptors coach Nick Nurse said of Thompson.
"He's probably underrated in that department. He really puts in some awesome defensive performances for them, especially when they really need them."
Game 4 takes place in Oakland in the early hours of Saturday morning (2am) live on Sky Sports Arena.
