Klay Thompson is back to Klay Thompson. It’s not like he’s completely lost his way before, because he had some big moments on the way to the championship in 2022, but after missing two consecutive seasons due to two different and very serious injuries, one might think if I was going to go back to showing consistently its superiority before physical discomforts.
It may have taken Clay time to get into the groove, but The 2022-2023 season was Thompson’s big comebackespecially in his last 30 games Golden State Warriors.
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How did Klay Thompson make his big comeback?
For Thompson, the first two months of the season were characterized by highs and lows: the highs were high and the lows were… well, pretty low.
Given his limited participation during training camp and the preseason, the fact that it cost him the start makes sense.
As a result, Thompson entered Golden State’s Christmas game against Memphis averaging 18.1 points per game on 39.9% shooting from the field and 37.8% from 3-point range. As respectable as those numbers were, Thompson has improved a lot since then.
In the Warriors’ Christmas win, Thompson finished with 24 points and nine rebounds. And while his shooting percentages in that particular game may have been lacking, it’s clear that December 25th is when things started to turn around for Thompson.
removing the rust
Before looking at how he returned to glory, it’s important to recognize the numbers that prove Thompson did it:
| Before Christmas | since Christmas | throughout the match | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minutes | 30.8 | 34.7 | 32.9 |
| Points | 18.1 | 25.9 | 19.7 |
| Field rate: | 39.9 | 45.7 | 45.5 |
| Three-point percentage: | 37.8 | 43.1 | 41.6 |
| Free Throw Percentage: | 87.5 | 90.5 | 85.3 |
If you compare this recent stretch to Thompson’s career numbers, it’s the most efficient and productive thing he’s done in his career.
Offensively, he’s back. Beyond the averages, there are the most outstanding performances. He’s back to being the Clay we knew so well before his injuries.
On January 2 he scored 54 points on 21-of-39 shooting, including 10-21 3-pointersin a double overtime win.
Klay’s Warriors 2OT win:
54 points
7 REB
10 three-pointers pic.twitter.com/uPUjP8qLIC—NBA (@NBA) January 3, 2023
A month later, on February 6, Thompson scored 42 points on 15-22 shooting from the fieldstanding out with his 12-16 3-pointers.
What a night for Klay Thompson.
42 points
3 REB
12 three-pointers pic.twitter.com/rfhlOG6bpW—NBA (@NBA) February 7, 2023
This was repeated on February 23, with Thompson hits 12 3-pointers again en route to a 42-point Warriors victory.
42 points
7 REB
12 3 p.m. (tied for season high)Klay Thompson is the first player in NBA history to miss multiple games with 12+ 3-pointers in a single season. Tough. pic.twitter.com/ywG6QiXyvx
—NBA (@NBA) February 25, 2023
In a span of two months, he made more than 10 3-pointers on three separate occasions in his first 50-point performance in nearly five years, and two games played within three weeks of each other.
And… are we saying Clay is Clay? Yes, he’s back.
Oh, and here’s the reminder that thanks to this streak, Thompson holds the record for most 3-pointers in a game and is one of only two players to hit 12+ 3-pointers in a game more than once. The other? Stephen Curry, of course.
Appears when it counts
Curry’s extended absences this season left an MVP-sized void that the team was forced to fill in a number of ways. For Thompson, it was either go up or watch his team go down. Clay chose the former.
It’s no coincidence that the first of Thompson’s two 42-point performances in February came in Golden State’s first game without Curry. During that 11-game stretch, he averaged 27.1 points per game as the Warriors posted a 7-4 record, including a five-game winning streak prior to Curry’s return.
With Curry back, the next goal is to get the two Splash Brothers back up and running as a pair before the postseason begins. Fortunately for the Warriors, the duo will have about a month to do so.
If Thompson can maintain that level of efficiency and Curry returns to the MVP level he exhibited before his two injuries this season, the defending champs will be a force nobody wants to face in a seven-game series.
The views expressed here do not necessarily represent those of the NBA or its organizations.
