The final time Klay Thompson got here off the bench was March 2012. He was 22 then, an unproven rookie. Monta Ellis began forward of him. Nate Robinson got here off the bench beside him. The Golden State Warriors confronted the LA Clippers. Chauncey Billups, now 47 and the top coach of the Portland Path Blazers, was on that Clippers workforce.
Thompson was initially elevated to the beginning lineup due to Stephen Curry’s ankle bother and the Monta Ellis commerce. That Clippers recreation was the ultimate of Curry’s third season. He left after 9 minutes and would sit the ultimate month. By the point Curry returned the next season, Thompson was the entrenched starter. The Splash Brothers fashioned.
Greater than a decade later, Thompson’s streak of consecutive begins prolonged all the best way to 727 video games. It ended Thursday evening in Utah, the prevailing story within the Warriors’ eventual 140-137 win.
Steve Kerr changed his four-time NBA champion with Brandin Podziemski, a rookie who had outperformed Thompson not too long ago and higher accomplished the five-man grouping subsequent to Curry, Andrew Wiggins, Jonathan Kuminga and Draymond Inexperienced, in line with the info. When explaining the choice postgame, Kerr pointed to that lineup’s gaudy stats. They’ve outscored opponents by 57 factors in 107 minutes.
Numbers indicated this transfer was rational and maybe vital. Thompson is taking pictures profession lows from the sector and from 3 this season. The Warriors are clawing for his or her postseason lives, coming into Thursday with a 26-26 report, tenth within the Western Convention.
However that didn’t make the dialog less complicated. Kerr stated he’s been fascinated by it for awhile and determined to do it Thursday, an evening after Kerr stored Thompson out of the Warriors’ closing lineup once more earlier than inserting him as a ground spacer within the last minute and watching Thompson commit an intentional and ill-advised foul towards the Clippers. He informed Thompson of the choice on Thursday morning in Utah.
“He wasn’t thrilled about it,” Kerr informed reporters. “I didn’t anticipate him to be thrilled about it.”
However what a response Thompson delivered. He got here out scorching, placing up his highest level complete of the season earlier than the third quarter was finished. He had 17 factors in 11 first-half minutes, incomes closing duties, which included a pleasant transition discover within the last minute of the second quarter to Inexperienced, who completed with 23 factors, his most since 2018. The Warriors scored 84 within the first half.
“You are able to do two issues, you possibly can pout, or you possibly can go on the market and reply.”
Klay reveals how he shifted his mindset in coming off the bench after a chat with Kerr 👏 pic.twitter.com/jC9XALO57c
— Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) February 16, 2024
Thompson didn’t cool off after halftime. He scored 18 in a torrid third quarter, giving him 35 factors. That’s the place he completed, making 13 of his 22 photographs and 7 of his 13 3s, a classic efficiency that helped the Warriors maintain off the Jazz in a shootout regardless of practically gifting away one other massive lead late. Thompson additionally made an enormous defensive play with 74 seconds left, stopping a Keyonte George drive and forcing a journey. It was Thompson’s greatest recreation of the season.
“The gas that fed his competitiveness was the choice that I made,” Kerr stated. “He’s such a competitor. I’ve seen him hit one million massive photographs. I’ve seen him guard the hardest guys within the league. Klay’s a champion. He’s an unimaginable participant, nice particular person. I’ve been blessed to educate him. It’s been a difficult season for him and for us. There’s quite a lot of transition occurring. A few of our youthful guys are approaching. It’s not as simple to do what Klay did 5, six years in the past, for him. I believe this might be stability to get the most effective out of Klay and get the most effective out of our workforce.”
Kerr stated he plans to maintain Podziemski within the beginning lineup and Thompson off the bench after the All-Star break, saying the transfer isn’t “everlasting,” however he needs to offer it a wholesome look.
“Klay coming off the bench offers us quite a lot of firepower,” Kerr stated.
(Picture of Klay Thompson: Alex Goodlett / Getty Pictures)
