Klay Thompson found his basketball in November with 19 points on average and a very correct 43% from 3-pointers, on a parquet floor, and this is the opportunity to enjoy one of his best career performances. It was December 5, 2016, and that night, the Warriors shooting guard had planted 60 points in… just 29 minutes. The craziest? On his baskets, he had dribbled only 11 times for a ball possession time of 90 seconds!!! The king of “catch-and-shoot” had struck, and it was the defense of the Pacers who had taken dearly with 146 points conceded.
” I don’t even know what to say. I have never seen that. In 29 minutes? Without even playing the fourth quarter? This is unheard of reacted Kevin Durant, who had just arrived. ” I saw Kobe score 81 points or 62 in three quarters but to be in the same team, on the bench, and to witness it, it’s completely crazy! »
That night, Klay Thompson planted 17 points in the first quarter, then 23 in the second. He is therefore already at 40 points at the break in… 18 minutes!
” We kept giving him the ball over and over again explained KD. ” He put crazy shots. We were just trying to encourage him and help him get to 60. He was in his zone but every time we pushed him, it gave him a little more energy. It was so fun to see! »
“Steph was like a kid to see Klay investigate the baskets”
In the 3rd quarter, Klay Thompson adds 20 more, with in the end an 8 of 14 from 3-pointers. Steve Kerr stops the massacre, and calls him back to the bench. The counter will stop at 60.
” Since I arrived, the main strength of our team has been to have multiple players who can pass the ball and create for others. As soon as Klay caught fire, Steph, KD, Draymond, Zaza, Andre, they were all looking for him confirmed the Warriors coach. ” For a coach, it’s rewarding to see that kind of selflessness. Steph was on the bench in the second quarter, 1 of 5 from 3-pointers, and it was like a kid to see Klay go after the baskets. Same for KD. The celebrations from the bench really show what kind of team we have. They like to see their teammates succeed. »
As for the person concerned, he savored this altruism and retained only one figure: the 45 assists of his team.
” It’s nice to see your teammates being happy for you. I could not have achieved such a performance without them. Zaza and Draymond’s screens gave me easy shots and that’s how I found my rhythm. Everyone is altruistic. Whether it’s KD, Zaza, D. West, and all the other players who arrived this summer, they don’t care about their stats. They just want to win and that’s why they came. (He looks at the stat sheet) 45 assists! That’s crazy. Did the Showtime-era Lakers do something like that? »
No need to look that far, the week before, these same Warriors had already done better with 47 assists. Against who ? The Lakers…
