QUIET YET CONFIDENT
Impact immeasurable even when 3-point shots aren’t going in
Klay Thompson’s career trajectory is hard to top.
The Warriors have reached the playoffs in all of Thompson’s five seasons as the primary starter at shooting guard, twice culminating in the NBA championship. He was named an All-Star the past three seasons and All-NBA third team twice. His career scoring average has increased every season.
Still, fittingly, Thompson blended into the background after Monday night’s titleclinching victory. He shared the interview-room stage with loquacious teammate Draymond Green, who predictably did most of the talking.
Thompson spoke at length only about Andre Iguodala’s splendid Game 5 performance. Thompson also briefly answered a question about the toaster he signed for one Warriors fan in March, which coincided with the team winning 31 of its next 33 games.
Yep, that’s the most colorful layer here — the man autographed a kitchen appliance. But the Warriors wouldn’t be
the Warriors without Thompson. He has started at least 77 games in each of the past five seasons, fully validating the decision to trade Monta Ellis, in part, to open a starting spot.
That decision reflected how well Thompson fits Golden State’s organizational philosophy: tall for his position (6foot-7), a great three-point shooter and a dogged, versatile defender.
Thompson averaged a careerhigh 22.3 points in 2016-17, smashing speculation he would take fewer shots in the wake of Kevin Durant’s arrival. Thompson averaged 17.3 field-goal attempts last season and 17.6 this season.
His production sagged in the playoffs, when he averaged 15.0 points and struggled with his outside shooting for extended stretches. But he remained the team’s best perimeter defender — hounding Damian Lillard in the first round, smothering Patty Mills in the Western Conference finals, doing his best to shadow Kyrie Irving in the NBA Finals.
“We’re never worried about Klay and his shooting or anything,” guard Stephen Curry said. “He does so much for us on the defensive end, and just his presence on the floor as a threat to shoot (is important), even if he doesn’t get an attempt up.”
Curry spoke these words after Game 2 against the Cavs, when Thompson resembled his usual self. He had made only 6-of-29 shots in his two previous games (Game 4 against San Antonio and Game 1 against Cleveland), including 1-of-10 on threes.
But then Thompson busted loose for 22 points in Game 2 and followed with 30 in a road win in Game 3. Klay was Klay again, just as teammates fully expected.
“I’m just happy he saw the ball go through the net,” guard Shaun Livingston said after Game 2. “He does a lot of thankless work out there, guarding Kyrie and switching onto LeBron ( James) all game, and he doesn’t complain.
“Klay’s a hard-hat kind of guy. Just to see him get some love out there with his shot, it’s a good feeling.”
Thompson is a bit of a loner, less comfortable in the spotlight than his fellow big-name Warriors. But his humility falls in line with the locker-room culture, as he showed after Game 3 — responding to questions about his individual performance with answers about his team’s comeback victory.
He still carries extreme confidence in his shooting ability. After all, he did score 60 points against Indiana on Dec. 5. And he memorably torched Sacramento for 37 points in a quarter in January 2015.
So when his shots started falling in Game 2 of the Finals, and Thompson was asked if he felt like they were going to go in, he replied with quiet nonchalance.
“I feel like that every night,” he said. “As a shooter, you have to feel that way.”