OAKLAND – The Warriors are going into the most anticipated home game of the season without Klay Thompson.
And it could be a week or more before the All-Star shooting guard returns to action.
Thompson sustained a sprained right ankle in the third quarter of the Warriors' 108-105 win over the Lakers on Monday night. Driving to the basket, he turned his ankle upon landing atop the foot of Lakers big man Tarik Black.
"Klay's going to be out, I would say, a week or 10 days," coach Steve Kerr said after Tuesday's practice, which Thompson did not attend. "But maybe more, maybe less. We'll just reevaluate in a week or so. It swelled up after the game. Obviously, we'll be very careful with it."
[RELATED: Klay sporting noticeable limp after Warriors' win vs. Lakers]
Postgame X-rays were negative, but head trainer JoHan Wang informed Kerr late Monday night that there was considerable swelling.
"This morning after they looked at it," Kerr said, "they decided we'd better give it some time."
So when the Warriors step onto the court Wednesday night to face the Hawks in a battle of teams with the best records in the NBA, the Warriors will be without their No. 2 scorer and one of their top wing defenders.
[NEWS: Kerr says Klay will be sidelined at least one week]
Thompson has missed two games this season, both of which the Warriors lost. He did not play on Nov. 9 at Phoenix due to injury and sat out last Friday at Denver for reasons of rest.
Kerr indicated that Justin Holiday was most likely to replace Thompson in the starting lineup but that no decision had been made. Leandro Barbosa can expect a heavier load, and perhaps a start.
Thompson is averaging 21.9 points per game, 10th in the NBA. His 43.5-percent shooting from 3-point distance ranks fourth in the league. Thompson also ranks third among all guards in blocked shots.
