Looking back on Klay Thompson’s history against the Cavaliers

With Klay Thompson announcing that he’s going to be making his return against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Sunday, let’s take a look back at some of the history between the Cavs and the Golden State Warriors star.

Thompson has played in three Christmas Day games against the Cavaliers.

The Warriors and Cavaliers met on Christmas Day three years in a row, 2015, 2016, and 2017. Klay Thompson played in all three of these games.

In 2015 Thompson dropped 18 points with only one three as the Warriors defeated the Cavaliers 89-83.

When the Cavaliers hosted the Warriors the next season on Christmas Day, Klay Thomson posted 24 points with five threes in a losing effort as the Cavaliers would win a thriller 109-108, largely behind the greatness of LeBron James and Kyrie Irving. Richard Jefferson had a few big-time dunks in that one, too, with one on Thompson.

For the third and final time the Cavs played the Warriors on Christmas, this year the Warriors were the hosting team. Thompson would, once again, score 24 points, this time only raining in 4 three-pointers made.

Klay Thompson has accompanied the Warriors to four straight appearances in the NBA Finals against the Cavs.

In Klay Thompson’s first Finals trip against an injury-riddled Cavs team, the Warriors ended up winning 4-2 in a tough, hard-fought series. Klay Thompson was, as expected, a major piece in their victory.

Thompson averaged 15.8 points per game in that series, including a 34-point outing in Game 2, which the Cavaliers won. Thompson also averaged 2 three-pointers made per game in this series, helping the Warriors win the series.

in 2016 the 73-9 Warriors would return to the Finals to face a healthy Cavaliers team. The Warriors would start off hot winning three of the first four games. Thompson was a major part of this, scoring 9, 17, 10, and 25 in that stretch. Thompson would stay hot, dropping 37 in a losing effort during Game 5.

The Cavaliers would go on to win three straight games powered by the superstar duo of LeBron James and Kyrie Irving, despite Thompson scoring 25 points in Game 6 and 14 in a close Game 7 loss.

Again in 2017, the Cavaliers would meet the Warriors in the NBA Finals, but this time Golden State had added the extra fire power of future Hall of Famer, Kevin Durant.

Klay Thompson would average 16.4 points per game with 3.4 three-pointers made per game as well, helping Golden State win the series in Oakland 4-1.

The Warriors would return to face the Cavaliers in the Finals one more time, setting the NBA record for most consecutive seasons with the same Finals matchup.

Thompson would average 16 points per game in this series against a subpar Cavs roster led by James and center Tristan Thompson. This series did not last long as the Warriors swept the Cavaliers in four games.

These are only the most notable games Klay Thompson has played against the Cavaliers, but it is clear that the two teams have significant history together, making it a fitting team for Thompson to return from ACL and Achilles injuries against.