SAN FRANCISCO -- Steve Kerr could see the writing on the wall. It's not like he predicted a big game from Klay Thompson on Sunday against the Sacramento Kings, even though Kerr somewhat always expects one. It's what he saw over the final 24 minutes of Golden State's decisive 17-point win Thursday night, three days prior, that gave him all the confidence he could use.
The numbers aren't what caught Kerr's eyes. Thompson played a little over 16 minutes in the second half of the Warriors' Game 3 win, scoring seven points on 3-of-7 shooting. How the game flowed for Thompson told a different story.
When you respect the game, the game respects you.
"I thought the second half the other night was the template," Kerr said Sunday in his pregame press conference. "Drive and kick, got off the ball earlier. I thought that led to some really good possessions for us. It's what we talked about yesterday at practice in our film session for all the guys, but definitely Klay.
"If he gets off the ball, if he can penetrate and kick, break the defense down and then kick it, we're getting ball movement from getting great looks. And that's got to continue."
With two-plus minutes to go in the first quarter of Game 4 on Sunday, Thompson earned a smile from Kerr. Not from his typical net-tickling 3-pointers. From playing the game the right way early in the Warriors' eventual 126-125 win, outdueling the Kings down to the final seconds.
Guarded by Kevin Huerter on the left wing, he drove to the hole, drew Kings big man Alex Len, leaving a wide-open Moses Moody in the right corner. Bang, three points to extend the Warriors' lead to six.
There isn't a spot on the floor that Klay considers a bad shot. In most cases, nor should he. But Thompson, aside from a few, found his 15 shots in honorable fashion. He was an efficient 9-of-15 shooting from the field, 4 of 9 from deep and made all four of his free throws.
And his scoring was fueled by consistency.
Thompson went into halftime with 12 points on 5-of-8 shooting and 2 of 4 on 3-pointers. Over the final two quarters, he scored another 14 points on 4-of-7 shooting and 2 of 5 on threes, adding his four free throws. His 26 points trailed Steph Curry's 32.
Beating the buzzer at the end of the third quarter gave the Warriors a 10-point lead going into the fourth quarter. When the Kings swung their way back down the stretch, Thompson's late clutch 3-pointer provided needed breathing room.
But Thompson also was a game-high plus-22 in plus/minus. He was a plus-11 in the first half and again a plus-11 in the second half. Kerr believes those numbers reflect much more than points scored.
"Klay was amazing," Kerr said Sunday after the Warriors' win. "Hit some huge shots, but also his defense. That was vintage two-way Klay. Just both ends of the floor, making one big play after another, playing 39 minutes that, was really, really something."
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Two-way Klay indeed made his way to Chase Center. At 33 years old and with a recent past that includes two brutal season-ending leg injuries, Thompson isn't going to lock up a 25-year-old De'Aaron Fox for all 48 minutes. He can still give him fits in the spurts, though.
Tears to his left ACL and right Achilles have taken away some of his lateral quickness. It still says hello, just less frequently. He now uses his strength in different ways. He bodies opponents and takes on bigger players, welcoming challenges like Kings center Domantas Sabonis.
The 7-foot All-Star is 0-of-4 shooting when defended by Thompson through the first four games of this best-of-seven series. Fox now is 2 of 8 from the field, Kevin Huerter is 2 of 7 and Malik Monk has gone blank on 0-of-7 shooting.
Draymond Green when asked about Thompson's Game 4 performance praised his work ethic and commitment to the craft. He pointed out Thompson being in the weight room every day, the training room every day and preparing to give Golden State 39 minutes in moments like this.
Oh, and the numbers on the big stage? Green knows that's who his longtime teammate has been, still is and can continue to be.
"As far as him competing and looking like Klay, it's April," Green said. "That is who Klay Thompson is. He is one of the biggest and best winners I've been around and that's what matters most to him. It's never a doubt whether he's going to compete or not.
"That's who he is and that's why we've had the success when he's healthy. And when he was not, that's why we sucked."
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Curry, Thompson and Green now have 94 playoff wins together, the third-most by a trio in postseason history, trailing only Magic Johnson, Michael Cooper and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (110) of the Los Angeles Lakers and Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili (126) of the San Antonio Spurs.
In the Warriors' two losses to begin the series, Thompson was a minus-25. He responded with a combined plus-38 over their last two wins.
Two wins down, two to go with Klay turning back the clock while pushing his game forward.