Klay Thompson turned back the clock and reminded everyone, especially his critics, that he still got it.
Thompson scored 10 straight points in the fourth quarter in a vintage performance that gave the Golden State Warriors a much-needed 120-114 win over the Los Angeles Clippers on Thursday, November 30.
“We needed it,” Stephen Curry said of Thompson’s scoring outburst in the fourth quarter. “That was a timely run especially how our fourth quarters have been.”
Thompson finished with 22 points, his fourth 20-point game in his last five games. His explosion down the stretch came on the heels of a scoreless fourth-quarter performance in their 124-123 loss in Sacramento, where they blew a 24-point lead.
Warriors coach Steve Kerr took the blame for his decision to sit out Moses Moody, who caught fire against the Kings, for Thompson. The veteran wing made sure it will not repeat against the Clippers.
After the Clippers pulled within 89-82, threatening to make an 18-point comeback in the fourth quarter, Thompson went on a personal 10-4 run to seal the deal.
“For him to get hot and hit a bunch of different shots, “Curry said, “it’s a reminder with the way our team is built and the way teams defend us, you never know when it’s going to come and the selflessness of how we need to play.”
“When the ball is moving it’s usually going to find the right person and I know he didn’t have much going before that run and that’s Klay. Stay confident. Let the game come to you and good things happen. It’s great to see him smile, got the crowd into it. It was much needed.”
Thompson’s confidence never wavered in the face of criticisms of his poor start. He was the only Warriors starter who finished with a positive net rating of plus-8.
Balanced Warriors Attack
The shorthanded Warriors, who were missing three key players, used a balanced offense to clip the visiting Clippers.
Curry led the way with 26 points, seven rebounds and a season-high eight assists. Moses Moody and rookie Brandin Podziemski, who stepped up for Gary Payton II and Chris Paul, along with Draymond Green and Dario Saric chipped in 13 points each. Jonathan Kuminga added 17 points, six rebounds and three assists off the bench.
Payton II is out indefinitely with a torn right calf, while Paul is day-to-day with a lower leg contusion. Starter Andrew Wiggins was a late scratch after he slammed his right index finger into a car door earlier in the day.
Paul and Wiggins’ next chance to play is on Saturday in a rematch with the Clippers.
Chris Paul’s Future
Despite Paul’s ill-timed injury, the Warriors contemplating retaining him for next season, according to Hoopshype’s Michael Scotto.
“Golden State has been pleased with Paul’s production and fit with the team and is open to keeping him beyond this season for the right price, league sources told HoopsHype,” Scotto wrote.
Paul, who will be 39 next season, has embraced a Sixth Man role for the Warriors.
The future Hall-of-Famer is averaging career-low numbers across the board — 8.9 points on 40% overall shooting and 33% from deep along with 3.6 rebounds and 7.3 assists against only 1.1 turnover. That remarkable assist-to-turnover ratio is what appealed to the Warriors to acquire him.
Paul has a $30 million non-guaranteed salary next season, which the Warriors are not going to pick up but willing to re-negotiate at a much lower rate.
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Steph Curry Sounds off on Klay Thompson After Vintage Game in Warriors Win