“Nowadays everybody wanna talk like they got something to say, But nothing comes out when they move their lips, just a bunch of gibberish, And everybody acts like they forgot about Klay.” – Steve Kerr
OK, you caught me. Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr didn’t actually say that quote aloud, but he should’ve. Those are slightly modified lyrics by Eminem from Dr. Dre’s hit song “Forgot About Dre.” After Klay Thompson torched the Indiana Pacers for 60 points in just 29 minutes (he sat the entire fourth quarter), there’s no doubt that the legendary bass and synth laden track from Compton’s-best played in the minds of the sharpshooter and his coach.
Ever since Kevin Durant’s Decision 2.0 shook up the basketball world, Thompson has become almost a forgotten man for Golden State. Steph Curry and Kevin Durant are bona fide NBA superstars and rightfully get most of the spotlight. Draymond Green, the heart and soul of the Warriors, is a crotch-kicking, tech-accumulating machine who also stays in the news. So it’s no surprise that whenever the Warriors lose or look less-than-dominant, professional second-guessers begin wondering whether the Warriors should deal Thompson for a dominant big man.
Thompson kicked off the 2016-17 season in a bit of a shooting slump. Through his first seven games, Thompson shot under 22% from three-point territory. Rumors of the Warriors trading Thompson to the Sacramento Kings for DeMarcus Cousins began to circle the web. He was also linked to a possible deal to the Boston Celtics for Avery Bradley, Jae Crowder and draft picks. Kerr, who still stands as the NBA’s career leader in three-point percentage, shot down the bogus trade rumors like it was 1997. Game 6. Swish.
Though Thompson may not get the respect he deserves outside the Oracle, his franchise knows his value too well. Even as we transition into a “post-truth” society, it’s hard to ignore the fact that last year, Thompson knocked down more three-point buckets than anybody in the history of the game not-named Steph Curry. Hit drained more than Durant, Ray Allen, Reggie Miller, Dennis Scott, Peja Stojakovic, Larry Bird or anybody else. He’s also a top-flight defender.
Sure, he can be a streaky player. He can be a bit awkward off the dribble. He struggles to create for himself or dominate one-on-one matchups as easily as Curry and Durant. However, when he gets hot, as he did Monday night, or in Jan. 2015 when he dropped 37 points in a single quarter, there’s simply nothing opponents can do.
Despite the addition of Durant and his 27 points per game, Klay is still doing what Klay does. Through 21 games, he’s currently averaging 22.5 points, 3.5 rebounds, 2.1 assists and is shooting 48 percent from deep. Last season he averaged 22.1 points, 3.8 rebounds, 2.1 assists and shot 47% from deep.
Furthermore, the Warriors, even without a dominant big man, are off to a league-best 18-3 start. The team is averaging over 120 points per game (Houston is second at 111 ppg) and winning by nearly 14 points per game.
Back to the 60-point outburst, the scariest part about Thompson’s game was his willingness to attack the basket or take a few steps inside the three-point line to knock down mid-range shots as well. If Thompson can continue to develop from the ultimate three-and-D guy into a more complete player, opposing teams won’t have a prayer, even if the Warriors bring Muggsy Bogues out of retirement to play center.
As a testament to his unselfishness, Thompson didn’t mind when his coach sat him down with a full quarter to go. Can you imagine Kobe Bryant dropping 60 in three quarters and then sitting down for the rest of the game, even armed with a 116-83 lead? I’m sure Thompson would’ve liked to topple incredible Bryant’s 81-point performance in 2006. However, all eyes in Oakland are on a championship. The records and accolades earned along the way are just gravy on top.
Kerr brushed off any notion that he should’ve left Thompson in the game to see how many points he could score.
Kerr told ESPN, “They said Dean Smith is the only guy who could hold MJ under 20. I’m the only guy who can hold Klay under 80, I guess.”
Rams extend Fisher
The Los Angeles Rams have done the unthinkable (yet, somehow unsurprising) and re-signed the man who will soon have the most losses in NFL history to a two-year contract extension. The deal has been rumored for a long time, but was just recently confirmed by the organization.
Last week, I discussed the beef between Fisher and all-time great running back Eric Dickerson. Apparently, failing to post a single winning season or make the playoffs in five seasons (current season included) is enough to justify doling out a contract extension.
Maybe the NFL is now entering its post-results era. Rams owner Stan Kroenke, GM Les Snead and Fisher are clearly on the path to ‘Make Los Angeles Great Again.’ All that’s left is to change to gold on the uniforms to a bit of an orange hue and they’re good to go.
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