Thompson plays it cool when the Spurs get hot
After the Warriors lost Game 4 of their firstround playoff series against the Spurs, there was a lot of hand-wringing and self-examination.
It was my fault. We played horrible. I should’ve done more.
Klay Thompson wasn’t having any of that. He didn’t seem worried at all.
“We’re a championship team. And we’ll respond like one,” Cool Hand Klay said. Then he and his teammates went out and backed it up.
The Warriors fought off a resilient Spurs team that kept things interesting until the final seconds of Game 5, cutting a 16-point lead to two with less than a minute to go. But Kevin Durant came up big in crunch time. Draymond Green hit
some clutch free throws. And the Warriors closed out San Antonio, 4 games to 1, in a memorable Game 5 victory, 99-91.
All those late-game heroics wouldn’t have been possible without the rocksolid leadership of Thompson. The Warriors’ off guard had an uncharacteristic tough night from long distance, but he still found a way to go off on San Antonio, driving the lane, getting the ball on back cuts and pouring in shots from every conceivable angle. His ridiculous fall-away job at the first-half buzzer, took some of the jingle off these Spurs. Thompson stepped forward when his team needed him most, scoring 24 points and providing much-needed offense while Stephen Curry continues to rehab his knee.
“Klay was just amazing tonight. He was great all series,” Warriors head coach Steve Kerr said. “His movement off the ball. His energy defensively. ... I thought Klay was just fantastic all through the series.”
With his fellow Splash Brother still out, and his fellow All-Stars having relatively quiet nights early, Thompson took it on himself to fill it up. After an initial burst of Golden State intensity, with the Warriors bolting to a 9-0 lead, the Spurs clawed their way back into the game, actually taking the lead for short stretches of the first half.
As the first half progressed, Kevin Durant was nowhere to be found on the offensive end. Draymond Green was grabbing every rebound he could, but also wasn’t scoring. To fill the void, Thompson went to work, showing off his full repertoire.
”I thought I got great looks. I feel like I could’ve had more points, but it’s basketball,” Thompson said.
He was working equally hard on the defensive end, filling the passing lanes and leading the break. While many of the other Warriors spoke about intensity and focus and mindfulness regarding this game, No. 11 let his play speak for itself.
As for the rest of the Warriors, it was a solid performance by a team that desperately wanted to finish off the Spurs, avoiding a long flight back to San Antonio, where a rabid crowd would have awaited them for Game 6. The Spurs certainly put a scare in Golden State, cutting the lead to a bucket in the closing moments. But Durant came up with some big plays down the stretch, hitting key jumpers and drawing fouls, finishing with a team-high 25 points.
Green led the way defensively, setting the tone and contesting shots early while cleaning the glass all night (19 rebounds). Backup center Kevon Looney played some crucial and inspiring minutes in the first half, providing guts and hustle to a team that was backpedaling. Durant eventually got on track, throwing down a thunderous two-hand jam in the second quarter, then repeating the hammer late in the fourth.
“Tonight, our effort was amazing,” Thompson said.
But it was the Warriors’ shooting guard who had an extra jump in his step all night.
Early in the fourth quarter, after missing open three-point tries during a lull in Golden State’s offense, Thompson took his game to the lane, driving in for a nifty layup and foul, completing a three-point play that proved crucial. On a night when he hit only the one three-pointer, Thompson found a way to score through sheer will.
Simply put, it’s fun to watch the man play. I’d argue he’s the Warriors’ most physically fit athlete, playing huge minutes, constantly fighting through screens to get open on offense while picking up the other team’s top shooting threat on the other end. That’s Thompson’s game, and you rarely see him sweat ... before, during or after the game.
Now it’s on to New Orleans. The Warriors will face a game Pelicans squad that features young legs and an upstart’s desire to knock off the champs. Thompson likely will deal with Jrue Holiday, one of the best two-guards in the league, who’s having a standout season.
A healthy Curry, should he be cleared to return from a sprained MCL, will help spread the load offensively. But Thompson and his team will be ready to roll, regardless.
Said Thompson: “It’s just no fun having to lose on your home court in the playoffs and fly across the country. That was motivation.
“It’s the playoffs. Luckily, for me and my teammates, we’ve played so many of these games.”