Klay Thompson suffered a leg injury during the first quarter of Game 3 of the NBA Finals on Wednesday, and he believes the play where he got hurt was “kinda dirty.”
Late in the first quarter, Thompson was trying to defend Cleveland guard Kyrie Irving when he ran into a pick from Cavaliers center Timofey Mozgov. Mozgov’s knee appeared to go into Thompson’s thigh, injuring him.
Timofey Mozgov setting screen, knee into Klay Thompson. pic.twitter.com/beiIzO3CCB
— ⓂarcusD (@_MarcusD_) June 9, 2016
Thompson left the game after that play but later returned.
Following the Warriors’ 120-90 defeat to the Cavaliers, Thompson was asked about the play where he was injured.
“I re-watched it. I’m just confused why he’s trying to set a screen in the middle of the key when we’re both running full-speed downhill. It seemed kind of dirty to me,” said Thompson. “Stick his knee out too, but that’s basketball.”
Thompson just seemed confused about Mozgov’s intent in general.
“I don’t get it,” Thompson said of the play. “I don’t know. I’m guarding Kyrie, I’m running full-speed downhill, I just don’t know if he’s trying to set a pick on me in the middle of the key. If it’s on the perimeter, I understand, but it didn’t make sense to me. Obviously it didn’t feel good. I’ll be alright — luckily we have the day off. It’s the Finals and nothing’s going to keep me out of it.”
As he said, he has a day to rest before Game 4 on Friday. Thompson’s Warriors lead the series 2-1 over Cleveland.
