Dub Hub: Warriors players share 'welcome back' messages for Klay Thompson's return

11/12/2024 02:01 PM

Rounding up all Warriors and NBA related news for Tuesday, November 12th.

In today's Dub Hub:

• Warriors players share "welcome back" message for Klay Thompson ahead of his highly anticipated return to the Chase Center on Tuesday.
• Andrew Wiggins listed as questionable for Tuesday's game against the Mavericks, per The Athletic's Anthony Slater.
• 76ers Joel Embiid expected to make his season debut Tuesday night vs. the Knicks.

Though it may be "just another regular season game in November" to some, Tuesday night's matchup between the Golden State Warriors and the Dallas Mavericks carries a special significance. Former Warriors star Klay Thompson, who spent his first 13 seasons with Golden State, is set to make his highly anticipated return to the Chase Center. The reunion marks a bittersweet moment for the Warriors players, who shared a special welcome back message for Thompson ahead of Tuesday's game.

The message via NBC Sports Bay Area perfectly encapsulates the feelings of most Warriors fans. Thompson's legacy as a franchise icon remains strong in the Bay Area, and the love for him is undeniable. However, when the game tips off, the Warriors know he's now part of the competition, and they'll be ready to go head-to-head. It's a fitting tribute to Thompson's legacy: cheering him on from afar but bringing that competitive fire when it comes times to play—just as he has done for them countless times throughout his Golden State tenure.

For more on this and other news around the NBA, here is our latest news round-up for Tuesday, November 12th:

Warriors News:

Klay Thompson feels 'free' after late-career move to Dallas Mavericks | ESPN

"I'm so grateful for everything I experienced at Golden State," Thompson said. "But I mean, I've seen some of my favorite athletes pivot and have tremendous success. When I think of Shaq[uille O'Neal] leaving the Lakers and winning a ring or Tom Brady winning one with Tampa Bay, it's been done before.

"That was my main goal at this point in my career. I just want to win, and this team is so close. I just wanted to be a part of that when July 1 hit [free agency]. It's human nature to think about your future. As present as you're supposed to be, we're all human. We all think about that. Now, to know I'm locked in for a few years here, it allows me to be free."

Klay Thompson: 'There's no point in looking back' at Golden State Warriors tenure | Andscape

Curry, Thompson and Green were among the most successful trios in NBA history. They won four NBA titles with the Warriors while combining for 518 wins in the regular season and playoffs. Their 98 playoff wins together ranks third in NBA history among three-player groups, according to ESPN Stats & Information research.

So, has Thompson been in touch with Curry and Green?

"I'm locked-in. Not really," Thompson said to Andscape. "I will see them when I see them. That's it."

NBA Power Rankings: Cavaliers, Warriors lead pack; something nice about all 30 teams | The Athletic

2. Golden State Warriors (8-2)

Last ranking: 4

In the last week: W at Celtics, L at Cavaliers, W at Thunder

Offensive rating: 119.2 (fourth)

Defensive rating: 107.6 (fourth)

Say Something Nice: They are deep.

Ten games into the season, the Warriors are playing 13 players between 28.3 (Stephen Curry) and 12.4 (Gary Payton II) minutes per game, with all of those players appearing in at least half of the games. All but two of the players (Kyle Anderson and Kevon Looney) have started at least one game. This might be the most Strength in Numbers Warriors team of all.

Iguodala admirably admits he 'fails' to replicate Curry's lifestyle | NBC Sports Bay Area

"I'm trying to be like Steph, and I fail every single day," Iguodala told co-hosts Mark Jackson and Mark Jackson Jr. "It's hard, man. He's true to who he says he is, and he has that killer mentality that people don't even know about. You try to learn his flaws, but they aren't even real flaws.

"He can be a class clown sometimes, but he's just a genuine human being. He's one of the few people I'd jump in front of a bullet for. I've been security for him a few times, telling people, 'No autographs today. Back up.' He's the one who, you make sure nothing happens to him.

Andrew Wiggins questionable for Tuesday's game vs. Mavericks

NBA News:

Cavaliers improve to 12-0, best start since 2015-16 Warriors | ESPN

Five of the previous seven teams to start at least 12-0 went on to reach the NBA Finals.

"This group is locked in," Atkinson said. "I do think there's [been] questions about this group, whether they can get to the next level, can they make the next step? So, I think when you have that, you have that chip [on your shoulder], you focus even more.

"There's another level of concentration, another level of focus, another level of detail that these guys use to carry us to 12-0 so far."

The NBA has a 'missing stars' problem with injuries piling up faster than normal | Yahoo Sports

Jeff Stotts of InStreetClothes.com has been publicly tracking injuries longer than anyone in the NBA space. By his count, the numbers are swelling league-wide, not just with the household names. His database shows that games lost due to injury across the entire NBA are already up to 686 games in the first three weeks of the season, a dramatic increase from 507 last season at the same mark. That's a 35% surge from last season and up 16% from 2023-24's level, according to Stotts' data provided to Yahoo Sports.

76ers' Joel Embiid returns to take on the Knicks on Tuesday night

In case you missed it at Golden State of Mind:

On the Warriors' usage of 'double gaps' to punish the Thunder's double teams on Steph Curry

With Melton, Payton, Wiggins, Green on the floor at the same time, the Warriors could count on a cocktail of switchability, roaming mobility, length, athleticism, and peskiness at the point of attack. The speed across the board in terms of close-outs and scrambles were also better, allowing the unit to force stops and get back on the other end. Even if the Thunder managed to get back to set their defense, there's enough spacing — in the form of Melton on the floor — to punish even the slightest mistakes.

Follow@unstoppablebaby on Twitter for all the latest news on the Golden State Warriors.