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NBA FINALS: WARRIORS VS. RAPTORS

June 6, 2019

Klay Thompson

Oakland, California - Practice Day

Q. Will you talk about your preparation over the last couple days? And then the second part to that question is you and Curry played over a hundred playoff games together. What was it like to watch him play and do what he did last night despite the loss?
KLAY THOMPSON: Well, let's try the first part. Just a lot of time on the training table, a lot of time in the cold tub, acupuncture. Just the basic remedies to get you ready for a NBA athlete. So a lot of that. It's a different type of grind, but I embrace it and it's fun.

And secondly, just to see Steph go out there and put on a show, I'm very used to it. It's very weird not being out there joining him. It's a crappy part of sports, but I think it will make me better and I'll be even healthier coming in tomorrow and be ready to go.

Q. Did you think last night that you would be a go? When you left last night, did you know that you would be a go for Friday?
KLAY THOMPSON: Yeah, I knew it. I could feel it. My body feels really good and that extra night of rest really helped. I just can't wait to get out here tomorrow.

Q. Is there still a sense that you might be slightly compromised and have to be limited in playing time?
KLAY THOMPSON: No. I'll be myself.

Q. How did you process the competitor in you wanting to play and the Warriors' long-term view?
KLAY THOMPSON: I get where Steve and the staff are coming from. The risk was too great, and being down 2-1 is not the end of the world. We have been in this position before, so we can rely on our experience and we're getting guys back. It just sucks missing a Finals game. It's the NBA Finals and this is what we work our whole lives for. But at the end of the day, I would rather miss one game than an entire series. So it wasn't the end of the world.

Q. Can you describe the waves of emotions that you were feeling watching that game sitting on the bench?
KLAY THOMPSON: It's a lot more anxiety than playing because you can't really control anything. It's all out of your hands and all you can do is really support your teammates and be the best teammate you can be, try to be that. Give Quinn advice, where to get good shots. Tell Steph what I'm seeing. No athlete wants to go through that, but it's the part of sports that you have to face. It's adversity, and it makes you tougher.

Q. It looks like you're the only one who is coming back. Kevin may not make it back this series. So how daunting is the challenge?
KLAY THOMPSON: Well, it would suck if Kevin can't come back. I still think we would have a good chance to win The Finals, but obviously that takes a huge hit. I don't think it would make us the clear-cut favorite anymore without him. This team is very good.

Q. What impact can you have defensively?
KLAY THOMPSON: Yeah, I just being able to guard their guards out there. They looked comfortable yesterday. They were playing in great rhythm. So it makes you mad. You want to get out there and stop them. I'll try and do that tomorrow.

Q. When you talk about the experience that you've been through in terms of being 2-1 before, do you have to look back on those experiences in the situation you're in right now?
KLAY THOMPSON: It definitely helps. It's a different team, obviously, and different scenario being at home and then having to go win one on the road. But it definitely helps knowing we have done it before.

Q. How do you think you can impact Game 4 after being able to sit back and watch Game 3?
KLAY THOMPSON: Well, I think I can impact Game 4 by doing what I do; that's getting buckets and getting stops.

Q. Can you drive as well as you have in the past with this? I know you can shoot, but --
KLAY THOMPSON: Yeah, once the game starts and I feel the crowd and the energy, yeah, I'll be fine. I'll be fine. Yeah. For sure.

Q. Was there anything that you learned from watching as a spectator about either team?
KLAY THOMPSON: Not really. I studied this opponent very well, so nothing really took me by surprise.

Q. Was there any debate between you and the training staff yesterday?
KLAY THOMPSON: There are always debates in every line of work. You're going to come to debates with your fellow employees. And, yes, we had some good ones yesterday.

Q. The perspective that you've gotten over the years, the experience of being in this position, as you said, 2-1, not the end of the world, does that make it easier to accept the decision yesterday than it would have, say, a few years ago if you had to make the same call?
KLAY THOMPSON: A hundred percent. If I hadn't been here before, knowing that we could do this in this position, it would have been very hard. But knowing that you have to win three more games, that helped a lot, honestly, and knowing we could do it helps.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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