As the Warriors fight for their fourth NBA title in eight seasons, Klay Thompson believes his team has what it takes to even the series come Friday.
Golden State’s subpar performance in Game 3 resulted in a two-games-to-one deficit against the Boston Celtics in the best-of-seven NBA Finals. After the Warriors’ 116-100 loss on Wednesday night at TD Garden, Draymond Green’s lackluster showing was a major talking point.
Thompson believes that Green -- and the rest of the team -- will respond accordingly as they once again face the Celtics and their rowdy home crowd in Game 4 on Friday night.
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“All of us are human,” Thompson told reporters on Thursday. “We’re not immune to a bad night or two. But I know one thing for sure is that we respond like champions.
“And I know Draymond will come out and play his typical brand of ball that’s very physical, fast paced, talking trash and just being the Money Green that Dub Nation loves so much and has brought us to heights that the franchise has never seen before.”
Green said during Thursday’s episode of his podcast “The Draymond Green Show” that he didn’t feel like himself Wednesday and let “too much noise” before the matchup get to his head. On Friday, he plans to adjust by coming out and “being Draymond Green.”
Draymond Green, a three-time NBA champion and major key to the Warriors’ return to the NBA playoffs for the first time since 2019. Despite their two-year absence from the Finals, Green, Thompson and other Golden State veterans like Steph Curry and Andre Iguodala know this feeling all too well.
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They’ve fought through doubt and adversity before, and it’s a big reason why the Warriors’ core has hoisted the Larry O’Brien Trophy three times since the 2014-15 season.
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Now, trailing in the Finals by one game against a talented Celtics team, they will have to scratch and claw their way to three more wins before claiming glory once again.
Thompson knows Green will be an integral part of achieving that -- and everyone in the Golden State locker room is looking forward to it.
“I’m excited. He’s excited,” Thompson said. “Our whole team’s excited because we’re here and it’s an incredible opportunity.”