However, Klay Thompson is finally beginning to feel the effects of aging. This season, his output and efficiency have declined, which is detrimental to the Warriors.
In the Warriors’ last game before the NBA All-Star Break against the Utah Jazz on Thursday, longtime coach Steve Kerr made an unexpected decision. Thompson was benched in favor of rookie Brandin Podziemski in the starting lineup. It was his first time coming off the bench since March 11, 2012.
Up before Thursday, Thompson had made 699 NBA starts as a starter. Did he approach it with a negative attitude then? Not even close. Rather, he completely lost it.
With just 22 shots attempted, including seven converted threes, Thompson scored 35 points. He was shooting at a level that very few great shooters ever reach, and he was totally on fire.
Before All-Star Weekend, Thompson, who turned 34 last week, needed a performance like that. He had a dismal percentage of less than 42% from the field for the entire year. His three-point shooting percentage of 36.6% is respectable for a regular player, but not for a player with Klay Thompson’s caliber. In addition, he needs to shoot effectively in order to be a valuable player for the Warriors because his excellent defense is no longer as strong.
Whether he starts or stays on the bench, he must be useful to them. With the victory, the Warriors barely finished one game above.500 at 27–26 at the half. They now hold the final position in the West that ensures a spot in the play-in games, which is the 10th seed.
Be the first to comment