Klay Thompson has his best game since return
The Warriors faced a young Pistons squad on Jan. 18, and while it's only a small sample size, Warriors guard Klay Thompson had his best game since his return.
Klay has posted an average of 13.8 points, 1.8 assists, and 3 rebounds before this game. He's been putting the ball on the deck a lot more often, and it seems like the adjustment period is going well for the splash brother.
Number 11 had 21 points, 4 assists, and 3 rebounds, while shooting an efficient 6-for-13 from the field and 3-for-8 from distance, a familiar stat-line.
"I don't care if I miss 100 shots in a row," Thompson said. "I'm never going to stop shooting the ball. I love it too much, and I work too hard not to."
The ball found its way to Thompson on the left corner, and as Warriors guard Gary Payton II cut to the rim, it created enough space for Klay to knock down his first three of the night.
Klay curled off two screens on an out-of-bounds set and splashed in another triple. Two backdoor cuts got Klay easy looks at the rim, which is a good sign that Klay's reacclimating himself back into the flow of the offense.
Then, after Warriors forward Andrew Wiggins stole the inbounds pass, the Warriors got out into transition. Thompson pulled a transition three, which felt very reminiscent of the days of old, as a one-dribble pump fake to his left ended the half and sent the Chase Center crowd into a frenzy.
"That last three I hit at the end of the half, that was a lot of fun," Klay said. "I felt like myself in that instance. I didn't even think about it. I just flicked it off my wrist. I practiced that shot so much. It feels so good to do it in the game and do it at the buzzer and get the crowd going a little bit. That's what makes these nights still fun."
The Splash Brothers combined for 31 of the Warriors' 66 points at the half, and Klay had a healthy dosage of open looks.
This was Klay's first 20-point performance since game six of the 2019 Finals. Since his return, he's also taken the most free-throws versus the Pistons, demonstrating his aggressive mindset and not being afraid to get physical after missing the past two years.
"Just to be out there with no hesitation," Klay said. "Whether it's going to the rim or stopping behind a screen for a three I feel like myself and these days were hard to see in the past. I give myself a lot of credit for taking my rehab stints very serious and attacking it like I would an NBA season, so hopefully I have a lot more years in me to do what I love to do."
Klay realizes that while he's known for his three-point pyrotechnics, there are other aspects of his game to which he could contribute.
Klay's midrange game has always been solid. His 6'7" frame gives him an advantage in positioning smaller guards and using his strength to get by defenders for easy layups.
"I just want to be as complete as I can," Klay said. "The best players at my position can do it all, score at all three levels, and I consider myself a scorer, and at times I can play make. I thought I did a good job tonight as far as creating for assists."
(Photo credit: USA TODAY Sports/Ross Cameron)