Klay Thompson: Replay of JR Smith collision 'pissed me off'

Sam Amick, USA TODAY Sports Published 7:21 p.m. ET June 2, 2018 | Updated 9:37 p.m. ET June 2, 2018

SportsPulse: USA TODAY Sports' Sam Amick and Jeff Zillgitt break down a wild Game 1 of the NBA Finals and how the Cavaliers will respond after J.R. Smith's devastating gaffe. USA TODAY Sports

OAKLAND — When it comes to NBA iron men, Golden State guard Klay Thompson is on the league’s short list.

Since being drafted out of Washington State in 2011, the four-time All-Star has missed just 21 regular-season games out of a possible 558. Come playoff time, he’s even more durable: 100% attendance in 99 games.

Yet while that streak appears to be in jeopardy, with Thompson listed as questionable for Game 2 of the NBA Finals against Cleveland on Sunday with a high left ankle sprain suffered in Game 1, a person with knowledge of the situation said he is very likely to at least try to play. The person spoke to USA TODAY Sports on the condition of anonymity because of the sensitive nature of the situation.

Thompson was injured midway through the first quarter, when Cavs guard J.R. Smith barreled into him along the left sideline and appeared to slip just before making contact. He returned from the injury in the second quarter and finished with 24 points (and made five of his 10 three-point attempts), but the ankle worsened overnight and, according to the person with knowledge of the situation, regressed even more significantly on Saturday.

While talking with reporters on Saturday, Thompson - who had a noticeable limp while entering and exiting the media fray - was unsure of whether or not he’ll be able to play.

“I'm going to do everything I possibly can to play tomorrow,” he said. “It's not good.”

Nor was the part Smith played in it. As Thompson went to catch the pass on the left sideline, Smith barreled into him while also slipping on the floor midway through the first quarter of the Warriors’ overtime win.

“From watching that replay, it pissed me off,” Thompson said. “That's a tough play on the ball, and then just to tumble into somebody's legs like that. You've got to move past it, but it's just life, and I'm going to be better from it. It's just a minor setback. But I don't think it was intentional.

“He was remorseful, so I don't think he meant to do it. It just sucks. It's a part of the game. It just sucks from the timing, during the Finals. But no one's going to feel sorry for us or me. So I've just got to do everything I possibly can these next 24 hours to be right for tomorrow.”

“Yeah, once you stop playing and you slow down and you're not out there with the adrenaline, it's naturally going to swell up a little bit,” he said. “If you don't move as much as you were, it's going to stiffen up. So just got to keep it loose at this point. Yeah, just trying to do everything I can to minimize that swelling. … I'm still optimistic for tomorrow, and I'm going to do everything I can today and tonight to get right.”

Smith defended himself when asked about the play on Saturday.

"I was just trying to go for the ball," he said. "It looked like an opportunity for me to get a steal. Unfortunately, I didn't. I fouled him. They called the foul. I don't know what more he was looking for."

If Thompson can’t play, and if veteran swingman Andre Iguodala misses his sixth consecutive game with the bone bruise in his left leg, then the Warriors’ defense that must find a way to slow LeBron James will be severely compromised. Iguodala is the best option of them all, but he is doubtful for Game 2.

The Warriors used a total of 10 defenders to guard James in Game 1, when he scored a career playoff high 51 points on 19 of 32 shooting. According to NBA.com/stats, 30 of James' points came against Durant (45 possessions in all, with James shooting 10 of 15 from the field, according to NBA.com/stats). Warriors big men Draymond Green and Kevon Looney were a distant second, with each guarding James for nine possessions.

"It's a task for anyone, first off," Green said of guarding James. "And secondly, we're going to play our brand of defense and figure it out from there."

Thompson, who only guarded James three times, spent most of his 45 minutes guarding Cavs point guard George Hill (23 possessions) and also spent significant time on Smith (13 possessions). Hill had just seven points and one assists, while Smith had 10 points on three of 10 shooting.

Follow USA TODAY Sports' Sam Amick on Twitter @Sam_Amick