Klay Thompson Expected to Play Against Clippers Despite Back Tightness

The new signee for Dallas will play through a minor injury.
Oct 7, 2024; Dallas, Texas, USA; Dallas Mavericks guard Klay Thompson (31) warms up before the game between the Dallas Mavericks and the Memphis Grizzlies at the American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
Oct 7, 2024; Dallas, Texas, USA; Dallas Mavericks guard Klay Thompson (31) warms up before the game between the Dallas Mavericks and the Memphis Grizzlies at the American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images / Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Despite dealing with back tightness, new Dallas Mavericks signee Klay Thompson is expected to suit up and play for Dallas in their preseason game against the LA Clippers on Monday night. Though the 34-year-old has dealt with a myriad of injuries in his career, it seems this one is minor enough that it won't affect his ability to compete tonight.

Thompson scored 10 points in his Mavericks preseason debut, and though he went three for nine from the field, he still managed to hit 60% of his three-point attempts on the game. He also dished three dimes for the Mavericks in their 107-102 loss to the Jazz on October 10, and though he was a -19 on the game, things will look much different when Luka Doncic is on the floor for Dallas.

READ MORE: 3 Mavericks Making Cases for a Roster Spot

The Mavericks have been hit hard by injuries this season already, losing Dante Exum for three months due to a wrist injury and being down Doncic due to a calf contusion that has kept him out of the preseason. Thompson's back tightness is a bit concerning simply due to his age and injury history, but given the context and his statement on being ready, it should be something to monitor instead of worry about.

Dallas takes on the Clippers at the Intuit Dome tonight, a team they beat in the playoffs last season after struggling to get past them in previous years. LA lost Paul George in the offseason to the Philadelphia 76ers, and forward Kawhi Leonard is still questionable to start the regular season after dealing with his own spotty injury history. The tip is at 9:30 CST tonight. More information on the game can be found here.

READ MORE: Mavericks Select BYU Star Freshman in Early NBA Mock Draft

Stick with MavericksGameday for more FREE coverage of the Dallas Mavericksthroughout the 2024-25 NBA Season

Follow MavericksGameday on Twitter and Keenan Womack on Twitter.

More Dallas Mavericks News


Published
Keenan Womack
KEENAN WOMACK

Keenan Womack is a sportswriter native to Dallas, Texas, who has spent the last 12 years in Austin, the home of his alma mater, the University of Texas. Keenan has covered sports for SB Nation, Bleacher Report, Rivals/Orangebloods, a host of his own sites and now, Fan Nation. Focusing on basketball, Keenan was on the beat for the Longhorns hoops team for the last two-and-a-half years before moving on to pursue other opportunities. He is married and lives with his wife close to the Moody Center, so they can continue to catch games together.