Thompson keeps focus on 16 wins
Struggling guard not concerned about his shooting mechanics
OAKLAND — Klay Thompson has always regarded individual achievements as secondary to team accomplishments, so it shouldn’t be too surprising that he’s not the least bit worried about his postseason shooting slump that has so many Warriors fans fretting.
Thompson’s assessment of these playoffs – or any playoffs — remains single-minded and simple.
“I base it on one thing — us getting 16 wins,” he said. “Last year, I think I had a great postseason, especially statistically. But it doesn’t amount to nothing if you lose that last game. So that’s the only thing I really measure it on.”
Indeed, Thompson did have a great postseason last year. He led all NBA players in points scored with 582 and 3-pointers with 98. He averaged 24.7 points on 44.4 percent shooting, including 42.4 percent on 3s. And of course, there was that fantastical Game 6 in Oklahoma City, when he saved the Warriors’ season from ending before it did.
This year, however, the statistical drop has been precipitous through 10 games. Thompson’s averaging just 15.3 points on 38.8 percent shooting, including 36.4 percent beyond the arc (20 for 55). In the first two games of the Western Conference finals against San Antonio, he scored just six and 11 points, respectively, and made just 6 of 21 shots.
Thursday’s post-practice marked Thompson’s first time actually talking about those shooting woes, as he cleared out of the locker room quickly following the Warriors’ wins in Games 1 and 2. But he wasn’t sounding terribly upset.
Warmed up by being asked if he thought he was playing well on defense – which he is – Thompson said, “I think I’m playing well on both sides of the ball. Obviously, I’d like the shot to go in a little more frequently, but that’s basketball. I’m due for a few big games or whatever, but you can’t get caught up in the percentages, especially when you’re winning. You just have to make winning plays and play hard, and everything else will take care of itself.”
Thompson said he’s getting plenty of open looks but the ball just isn’t falling with much regularity. He doesn’t think there’s anything wrong mechanically and he doesn’t view his erratic shooting efforts of late as any kind of worri- some mystery.
“Nah, I feel good,” he said. “It’s not a mystery, especially when you’re undefeated.”
New environs for Game 3 might not be the worst thing at the moment. Against OKC last year, Thompson shot just 8 for 21, including 2 for 9 from 3-point range, in Game 5 at Oracle Arena. Then came his incredible Game 6 on the road, when he made 14 of 31 shots, including 11 of 18 3-pointers.
It’s not quite as well remembered, but Thompson had a similar playoff game in his second season in 2013 – in San Antonio. After the Warriors blew an 18-point lead and lost Game 1, Thompson exploded in Game 2 for a 34point game that included 8 3-pointers in 9 attempts. Big? It resulted in the first time the Warriors beating the Spurs in San Antonio in 16 years dating back to 1997, even though they eventually lost the playoff series 4-2.
Thompson reflects on those two games and that series even now.
“I remember a lot … it doesn’t feel that long ago, really,” Thompson said. “I think we gained so much valuable experience from that series that helps us to this day.”
The fact is, Thompson is capable of finding his shooting rhythm at any moment, and it doesn’t matter where he is. It could just as easily happen at the AT&T Center Saturday night as at Oracle.
“I like shooting anywhere, whether it’s a high school gym, an NBA arena, at the park or the beach,” he said. “It don’t matter. I just love getting shots up, and that’s either during the game or not during the game.”
Forward Andre Iguon dala went through a full practice and center Zaza Pachulia went through part of practice Thursday, but both players are still listed as questionable for Game 3 of the Western Conference finals Saturday in San Antonio.
Iguodala missed the second half of Game 1 and sat out Tuesday’s Game 2 with left knee soreness, but an MRI revealed no structural issues. Pachulia played just seven minutes of Game 2 before departing the game with a right heel contusion. The veteran big man was working out on a stationary bike when the media was allowed into the team’s practice facility.
Meanwhile, in San Antonio, the status of All-Star forward Kawhi Leonard for Game 3 remained uncertain. Leonard, who re-sprained his left ankle in Game 1 after originally turning it in the prior series against Houston, did not go through any on-court work Thursday, according to Jeff McDonald of the San Antonio Express-News.