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10 unforgettable Klay Thompson moments with the Warriors before their return

by November 13, 2024

Expect an emotional evening as Klay Thompson and the Mavs visit the Warriors for an important NBA Cup match.

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It’s Klay Day.

A popular former Golden State Warrior and all-time shooting guard will face the team with which he defined an era in San Francisco on Tuesday (10 ET, TNT). Officially, Klay Thompson is now a member of the Dallas Mavericks. But you’ll never know, considering how enthralling the fans who haven’t forgotten it will be.

Thompson rode successfully with Stephen Curry for 13 seasons, winning four championships and changing the game together. Although Thompson is rightly linked to Curry for obvious reasons, he stood out as an individual player – becoming a record-setting shooter with a textbook go-to-the-basket style.

The night will be remembered for all of these reasons, along with his dry humor, his love for his dog and his boats, and his strong sense of pride and determination. Those last two traits helped him overcome career-threatening knee and Achilles tendon injuries that sidelined him for two and a half years.

He’s in Dallas because he needed a change of scenery and perhaps, deep down, a little more love than the Warriors were willing to give last summer when he became a free agent.

No matter what happens with the Mavericks, his legacy remains in the Bay.

Here are 10 memorable moments from Thompson’s stay with the Warriors:

1. Game 6 Klay | May 28, 2016

From both a critical and cosmetic standpoint, nothing Thompson has done with the Warriors can match his Game 6 against Oklahoma City in the Western Conference Finals. It was beautiful to watch and saved the Warriors’ 73-win season (at least to that point).

Here it is: 22 points in the fourth quarter, an eight-point deficit, and the Warriors — who fell 3-1 in the series — to a seventh game that they would eventually win.

Thompson made an NBA playoff record 11 3-pointers and finished the game with 41 points. Epic, historic and forever known as “Game 6 Klay.”

“Steph (Curry) told me before I went out in the fourth, ‘This is your time, put on a show and have fun.’ I took those words to heart and just tried to be aggressive.” – Thompson.

2. 43 points from four dribbles | January 8, 2019

There were games in which he scored more points, games that were far more critical and games in which he scored a game-winning basket. Fine. And yet it could be years, if ever, before he can repeat what he did against the New York Knicks.

It was a catch-and-shoot clinic that exemplified what made Thompson unique and special. He didn’t attempt a free throw – meaning it was pure. All night long he freed himself, waited for the pass and then let it fly. Well, he needed a dribble a few times to get his bearings.

And you could argue about this ranking because Thompson did it too…

3. 60 points, 11 dribbles | December 5, 2016

Make your choice. There is no wrong answer. To clarify, he scored 11 points from the free throw line in this game, so (technically) 49 Points from 11 dribbles. Otherwise, it was a stunning performance against the Indiana Pacers. And yes, 60 points (in 29 minutes!) is a milestone, a level unattainable for most – and he didn’t play in the fourth quarter.

Incidentally, the two points he scored in his career (he had 52 points against the Kings two years earlier) were not played in the fourth quarter because both games were blowouts.

“Who knows? He would have continued shooting. Klay will never stop shooting.” – Warriors coach Steve Kerr on whether Thompson could have scored 70 or 80 had he played the fourth quarter.

4. Another big game 6 | June 13, 2019

So, so bittersweet, this one. And that’s because people remember it for unfortunate reasons. Of course, Thompson injured his knee in that game, which cost him the remainder of the NBA Finals against the Toronto Raptors and, more importantly, the entire next season (which turned into two missed seasons after his subsequent Achilles tendon injury).

But what a study of skill, determination and basketball courage. Who could forget Thompson getting up from the floor after his injury and returning to shoot the requisite two free throws… Then he says he wants to stay in the game! Kerr had to tell him it was over. Thompson (30 points) wanted to save the series, especially after the Warriors had already lost Kevin Durant to an Achilles tendon injury. It meant so much to him. And it endeared him to Warriors fans forever.

5. Thompson Reboot | January 9, 2022

Emotions ran high at Chase Center as Thompson returned after 941 days recovering from knee and Achilles tendon injuries. It was his first game in the new building – remember, he suffered his knee injury in the last game in Oakland – and “Headband Klay” was ready for a fresh start.

When he performed a dunk minutes into the game against Cleveland, he seemed determined to show how far he had come from those injuries. He finished with 17 points, but that wasn’t the point. The Splash Bros. was renewed, and while it ultimately wasn’t a carbon copy of the Old Splash, it was good enough to help the Warriors win their fourth title in eight years.

“He talked about how he felt and what would be the last thing coming back and that was the answer. “It was amazing to see and obviously the building went crazy from start to finish.” – Curry, on Thompson’s dunk.

6. NBA record 37 points in a quarter | January 23, 2015

In January 2015, Klay Thompson scored 37 points in one quarter against Sacramento.

That’s it. That’s the story. Thompson literally couldn’t miss in the third quarter. He made all 13 attempts, nine of them from deep against the Kings (watch them all here). This was a 52-point masterpiece, but the quarter itself was historically special.

Coincidentally, Thompson’s final game with the Warriors was also against the Kings, and the night proved the exact opposite – Thompson missed all ten of his shots in last season’s play-in tournament game.

“I was one of the luckiest NBA players to ever play alongside Michael Jordan, Tim Duncan, David Robinson and some of the greatest players of all time. As many spectacular things as Michael did every night, I have never experienced anything like that.” — Kerr.

7. NBA records most 3s in a game | Oct 29, 2018

Curry hit 13 shots from long range in 2016 and was obviously proud of setting that NBA single-game record, but it was also a gauntlet for his teammate who was the most likely threat to that record.

In fact, Thompson had that hot night against the Bulls, losing 3 after 3. When he scored the record-tying 14th goal — in the third quarter, no less — his teammates (including Curry) smothered him. Interestingly, in the Warriors’ first seven games this season, one of the coolest stretches of his career, Thompson was just 5 of 36 from deep.

“He was due for a game like this. He saw one go in and his eyes grew as big as the basketball. After that it’s hard because they’re looking for him. The screens run away from him and you can’t touch him anyway. It’s difficult.” – Bulls guard Zach LaVine.

8. Redemptive 3-Point Contest | All-Star Weekend 2016

Curry vs. Thompson, Part II During their time together in the Bay, Thompson and Curry competed in shooting competitions primarily after practice. Then things got “serious” when Curry defeated Thompson to win the 3-point contest at All-Star Weekend in 2015.

Well, the man is proud. And Thompson returned the very next year and took the trophy, and did so in impressive fashion – making his last eight shots and taunting former winner Larry Bird by cocking his right hand after hitting the money ball.

9. Another NBA 3-point record | January 21, 2019

No one opened an NBA game hotter from deep than Thompson, who started a game a record 10 times in a row. The Lakers were helpless that night because when a player like Thompson finds his rhythm, no defense can upset him.

As in those situations, the Warriors kept giving him the ball. Thompson finally failed with 3 1/2 minutes left in the quarter, finishing the game with 44 points and doing so in front of his father Mychal, the Lakers’ radio analyst.

“I’ve never hit 10 three-pointers in a row in a game. That’s hard to do. I happened to be there tonight and I’m glad I was able to do it in front of my family.” – Klay Thompson.

10. A special game 6 | May 13, 2022

Klay Thompson hits 8 3-pointers in decisive series win.

Yes, we end the way we started, as Thompson had a basketball Jones for Game 6. In that game, he scored 30 points and helped the Warriors eliminate the Grizzlies in the 2022 Western Conference semifinals.

Here’s why this game was special: Aside from being Game 6, it took place during his comeback season. And it was on the road to the Warriors’ 2022 championship that Thompson and his former team drank champagne for the last time.

“Honestly, especially the perspective I’ve gained through my injuries and now being able to compete at the highest level… it’s a feeling that’s hard to describe.” – Thompson.

* * *

Shaun Powell has been covering the NBA for more than 25 years. You can email him here, his archive can be found here and Follow him on X.

The views on this site do not necessarily reflect the views of the NBA, its clubs or Warner Bros. Discovery.

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