Klay Thompson is coming off a strong game in the Golden State Warriors’ victory over the New York Knicks on Friday night.
That said, he has noticeably struggled this season. And he has been pretty mad about the whole thing.
Despite putting up 20 points on 8-16 shooting in his most recent effort, Thompson is averaging 15.5 points per game on 36.3 percent shooting from the field and 33.6 percent shooting from beyond the arc.
For context: up until their most recent games, Los Angeles Lakers guard Russell Westbrook had a better three-point shooting percentage than Thompson in 2022. And he is still shooting significantly better from the field overall.
Thompson’s struggles have led to questions about whether he should be replaced in the starting lineup.
This week, his teammate Stephen Curry addressed Thompson’s woes thus far.
“Klay Thompson’s shots have always been ones that you wouldn’t tell anybody else to really take because of his skill set.”
Steph Curry is confident that Klay’s shooting will come back around 🔥pic.twitter.com/0xYkMc1EkY
— Steph Curry Nation (@StephNationCP) November 17, 2022
“Just let the game come to you, have a little bit of patience and trust in how we play as a team in creating good shots,” Curry said.
“[Klay’s] presence out there changes the game just with his two feet on the floor ’cause he requires a lot of attention no matter what the numbers look like so it’s gonna come. Just trust.
“It’s a tough balance of trusting him to do exactly what he is capable of doing, you know, being himself. Klay Thompson’s shots have always been ones that you wouldn’t tell anybody else to really take because of his skill set and the work that he puts in. He’s had slow starts before this season but the biggest thing [is] … ‘You got to let the game come to you.”
For one night at least, Curry’s advice seemed to work. Where Thompson goes from there, however, remains to be seen.
Thompson’s place in NBA lore is etched in stone at this point. Whether he is expertly pulling beautiful women off the court or hitting big shots on it, he doesn’t need to worry about that legacy. That’s secure.
Lakers fans finally have something exciting to watch at games. https://t.co/GzRG5F5ALf
— Game 7 (@game7__) November 19, 2022
He just needs to play better this season.
Was Friday night the beginning of Thompson’s turnaround?
Time will tell.
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Charles Kruger has been credentialed to cover two Super Bowls, four NBA Finals, and one World Series. A 20-year veteran in the sports world, he has sources spanning the NBA, MLB, NFL, UFC and NASCAR. Currently residing in Los Angeles, Calif., he is Game 7’s go-to source for rumors surrounding the Lakers, Clippers and Dodgers.
