Thompson practices with Warriors
In due time, Klay Thompson is counting on more 37-point quarters and other scoring outbursts from himself, like the time he made 14 3-pointers in a game.
Not that the Warriors star is “a numbers guy” the way he used to be, before a pair of devastating injuries.
“I plan on doing that again, but who knows when? It’s tough to say,” Thompson said.
He has resumed five-on-five, full-court scrimmaging in a key step as he makes his comeback from surgery last November for a torn right Achilles tendon following a season sidelined after having the ACL in his left knee repaired.
“It’s hard to put into words how grateful I am to be playing basketball again,” Thompson said after his return to full-speed practice Tuesday. “I feel like myself. I feel great. I’m knocking shots down, I’m playing great ‘D’ ... I’m playing defense. The hardest part is just simulating a game and that conditioning that goes with being a great NBA player. It’s hard, and it’s definitely a thing that takes time.”
Warriors coach Steve Kerr said the team will have a better idea in a few weeks as to when Thompson might be ready to play.
“He’s in a great frame of mind,” Kerr said. “The biggest thing is he hasn’t played in 2 ½ years. While the Achilles is structurally sound, everything is strong, there’s been on ill effects, it’s just a matter of building his strength and endurance, especially the endurance part. It just takes time.”
Baseball: The White Sox signed righthanded reliever Kendall Graveman to a three-year, $24 million deal, ESPN reported.
Graveman, 30, came to the Astros in a July 27 trade with the Mariners. He helped bolster the AL champion Astros bullpen down the stretch, going 1-1 with a 3.13 ERA in 23 appearances . ... Bill Virdon, the 1955 NL rookie of the year as an outfielder for the Pirates who later won manager of the year awards in both leagues, died. He was 90.
College football: Penn State and coach James Franklin agreed to a new 10-year contract that will guarantee him at least $75 million through 2031. The deal includes a yearly base salary of $7 million, retention bonuses of $500,000 each year and a $1 million annual loan for life insurance. Franklin, 49, is 67-32 at Penn State with seven bowl appearances in his eight seasons. The Nittany Lions won the Big Ten championship in 2016.
NFL: The Giants fired offensive coordinator Jason Garrett a day after the team’s 30-10 loss to the Buccaneers. Garrett, the former longtime Cowboys head coach, has led a Giants offense that is averaging just 18.9 points per game . ... The Titans waived veteran RB Adrian Peterson, 36, who signed with the team on Nov. 2 after Derrick Henry was placed on IR that same day . ... Rookie QB Zach Wilson, the No. 2 pick in the draft, will return Sunday against the Texans after missing the last four games with a sprained knee. ESPN reported that QB Mike White tested positive for COVID-19 and that fellow QB Joe Flacco was deemed a close contact. Both were put on the COVID list. ... The league filled the blanks for its previously scheduled Week 15 Saturday doubleheader by moving the Raiders at Browns and Patriots at Colts from Sunday. Both games will be on the NFL Network.