SAN FRANCISCO – It was not long ago that Klay Thompson, eager to resume a career destined for the Hall of Fame, was forcing jump shots against a solid defense, sometimes at the cost of missing open teammates.
The Warriors were hurting, and Klay was one of the reasons.
Head coach Steve Kerr and his staff, knowing the history, stayed with him anyway. Told him to be more patient. To choose his spots, and let the points come.
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They came Saturday night, 17 in a sizzling second quarter and a season-high 38 in all. Thompson’s barrage ignited the flame that sent the Warriors to a 122-109 torching of the defending champion Milwaukee Bucks.
“Well, I'm sure it's a relief,” Kerr said. “He's so hard on himself and wants so badly to succeed.”
Thompson conceded that the coaching staff had a point. He was hunting his shot, sometimes at the cost of the offense.
“I agree,” he said. “I think it changed tonight because my shots were in rhythm, mostly off the catch and doing what I do best, moving off the ball and just staying patient to let the ball come to me within the offense.”
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The result was a game more typical of Klay’s ability: 15-of-24 overall, 8-of-14 from deep. His second quarter, during which made four consecutive 3-pointers over a three-minute span, launched the Warriors toward victory.
“It's kind of finding that like, you know, obviously we haven’t seen him in a while due to his injury, and it's almost like we kind of forgot who he is, you know?” Giannis Antetokounmpo said. “He made one and then we kind of . . . we weren’t urgent enough to discourage him from shooting a second one, a third one, fourth one.”
This was the Klay the Warriors can ride to prosperity. When he finds a rhythm, it electrifies the Chase Center crowd and can leave a defense feeling helpless.
“His offense and his shooting were just better than what we could defend,” Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer said.
This was a welcome sight for the Warriors after Thompson’s last four games After missing two games with an illness, Klay returned on March 3 and immediately sought his shot. A 6-of-17 shooting performance was followed by a 3-of-13, then a 9-of-23 and a 7-of-20. The 34.2-percent overall shooting included 23.3 percent from deep.
Which led to social media agitation, with some going so far as suggesting Thompson be removed from the starting lineup until his shots started to fall. Crazy talk.
Instead, the coaches impressed upon Klay the importance of playing five-on-five.
He did. Starting with Stephen Curry and Jordan Poole – the first time all three were in the starting lineup – gave Klay a little more space. While the Bucks were swarming Curry, Thompson got comfortable and unloaded.
“He just let the game come to him early,” Kerr said. “He didn't hunt shots. I thought over the last few games he's been taking tough ones early, which has kept him from getting into a rhythm. Tonight, it felt like he was taking better shots. early, cleaner looks.
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“You know Klay, once a couple of them go in, then the tougher ones get a lot easier for him.”
The crazy talk will subside, at least for now. Thompson has earned more than that. Though he has earned the trust of the fan base, having the trust of his teammates and coaches is what carried him to his best game of the season.