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If you didn’t get goosebumps when Klay Thompson walked back out of the tunnel in Game 6 of the NBA Finals after what looked like an obvious ACL tear, you’re either a sociopath or from Canada.
Thompson would go on to make both free throws pushing his point total to 30 on just 12 shot attempts in less than three quarters of play, but would then head to the locker room before the Warriors would officially confirm what we already knew.
The Raptors would go on to outscore the Warriors 34-25 after Klay’s injury, propelling them to their first ever NBA Finals victory.
Warriors general manager Bob Myers was inside the tunnel tending to Klay immediately after the injury and told a funny story about how determined Klay was to finish the game.
Warriors' Bob Myers describes Game 6 of the Finals when Klay Thompson didn't listen to him & refused to come out. 😂
(via @957thegame) pic.twitter.com/kxECfKY7GK
— Chris Montano (@gswchris) August 27, 2019
“In that Klay story, he was in the tunnel. He had just got hurt and walked back. He was in the back room, and somebody ran out — one of the assistant coaches — and says, ‘You can’t go back in the game unless you shoot your free throws. So if you wanna play in this game again, you gotta go out and shoot.’ We didn’t really know what was going on. So we walked back out, and the fans go crazy … So you’re walking back and Klay says, ‘I’m shooting free throws. If I don’t shoot them, I can’t play. I’m shooting free throws.’ So I grab Klay. I said, ‘Listen: Shoot the free throws. Do not run back. Just shoot the free throws and stay there. Just stay at the free-throw (line). Do not run back.’
“He shoots the free throws. He runs back!”
How much of a beast do you have to be to try to outrun an ACL tear in an NBA Finals game? Beast enough for your organization to offer you a $190 million extension.
[h/t For The Win]