Is Klay Thompson playing tonight against the Utah Jazz? | 2021-22 NBA season

Klay Thompson's return has been a significant mental boost for the Golden State Warriors. However, he has yet to shift into high gear and be the elite level other half of their lethal backcourt duo.

Nonetheless, the Warriors and the entire basketball community are elated with his return after he was sidelined for over 900 days due to injuries to his Achilles and ACL. He first tore his ACL in the 2019 NBA Finals and has been out since.

The Warriors had an incredibly hot start to the 2021-22 season but have fallen off the top of the Western Conference standings. They are currently ranked second in the West with a 42-13 record.

Thompson is slowly getting back to his prime self as he has gradually improved with each passing game. His minutes have been regulated since his return which is why the fans would like to know his status ahead of tonight's game against the Utah Jazz.

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What is Klay Thompson's status for tonight's game against the Utah Jazz?

Klay Thompson #11 of the Golden State Warriors dribbles up the court with the ball against DAngelo Russell #0 of the Minnesota Timberwolves

The Golden State Warriors travel to Utah to face the Jazz and will have to chase their 42nd win without Thompson. The shooting guard is listed as out ahead of tonight's matchup as a precaution to further manage his return.

Thompson is still not 100%, which is why the coaching staff deems it necessary to rest him on occasion. It will be the fifth game he will miss since his return to action back on January 9th at Chase Center against the Cleveland Cavaliers.

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When will Klay Thompson return?

Seeing as his unavailability is mainly due to rest, there is a very good chance he will feature in the Warriors' next game against the New York Knicks. However, the team has not announced an official date for his return.

The Warriors will have less than 24 hours of rest before facing the Knicks, which could be why he is being rested. Perhaps he is not fit enough for back-to-back games and they would rather see him play at home.

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How does Klay Thompson's absence impact the Golden State Warriors?

The Warriors have shown that they can manage without Thompson thanks to players like Jordan Poole leaving it all on the court every other night. Nonetheless, having another sharpshooter on the floor to draw some of the defensive attention away from Stephen Curry is always welcome.

Klay is averaging 16.7 points in 12 games while shooting 42.6% from the field and 37.8% from beyond the arc. He also averages 3.3 rebounds, 3.0 assists, and 0.7 steals.