Something special has been brewing in Golden State during the playoffs. During the regular season, Stephen Curry mounted his throne as the new King of the NBA, and Draymond Green took his place as one of the most hated and versatile players in the league. But during the 2016 Playoffs, Klay Thomspon’s rise to superstardom took the league by storm.
In the 22 games he’s played so far, Klay scored 30+ points in 6 different outings. He also made 5 or more 3s in 10 different games. This includes Game 6 in OKC where Klay scored 41 points and set an NBA Playoff record by dropping in 11 3s in the game.
Curry failed to show up in many of the games during the Warriors series with Oklahoma City. Klay was there to do most of the heavy lifting in the beginning of Games 4-7, letting Curry finish them off in the fourth quarter. When Curry was hurt early in the playoffs, Klay became unstoppable, leading the Warriors past the Houston Rockets and to a few wins against the Portland Trailblazers in the second round. He averaged 28.6 points in games that Curry didn’t play in during these playoffs. He also made nearly 5 3-point shots a game without Curry.
Whenever Curry failed to show up big in a game, Klay Thompson has been there this post-season to carry the Warriors through the finish line. If it were not for Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson would be the most prolific 3-point shooter ever. This season he made a total of 276 3s. I’m sure you can guess the only other player who’s shot more 3s than him.
Need a hint? It rhymes with Bephen Burry.
Not only is Klay Thompson one of the most prolific 3-point shooters in the game, but also he is arguably the best shooting guard and 2-way player in the NBA.
Many people argue that Jimmy Butler or James Harden are better shooting guards, but neither put up the type of points Klay does while also guarding other team’s best guards. During the playoffs, Klay has been tasked with guarding the likes of James Harden, Damian Lillard, Russell Westbrook, and Kyrie Irving. On average, players have shot a dismal 36.8% while being guarded by Klay Thompson during the playoffs. Standing at 6’7”, he is taller and longer than most guards, and he has the lateral quickness to stay in front of them on drives to the basket. He has even averaged 1 steal per game this postseason.
Stephen Curry is the face of the franchise and the face of the NBA. It is hard to be noticed when the shadow your fellow Splash Brother casts is so grand. Klay has no problem being hidden behind the shadow, however. He is complacent with being the best shooting guard on one of the best teams in NBA history. Plus, it is nice having your occasional 37-point third quarter and 11-made 3s in a game every now and then. With another championship in the horizon, it is time to start respecting Klay Thomspon for the superstar that he is, just like Mark Jackson always says, “Mama, there goes that man.”
All Stats from www.basketball-reference.com
