Fmagical anointing from one of the best shooters of all time. Klay Thompson, legendary guard for the Golden State Warriors, made 12 three-pointers in the NBA champion team’s rout of the Oklahoma City Thunder (141-114). Klay was vital in a much-needed San Francisco Bay win after the ‘shock’ of Stephen Curry being sidelined for various injuries due to injury.
Thompson was two triples away from his all-time record of 14. In that game, the ’11’ finished with 52 points and did not play in the last quarter. “He could have scored 16, 17 or 18,” he recalled later. Against the Thunder he stayed at 52 and had the ambition to break his record. Which his coach, Steven Kerr, prevented.
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“I wanted to go for it, and we came to value it … but I don’t think the basketball gods like me looking to break records,” Thompson said after the game. It reminded, in a way, of the minutes that Kobe Bryant was sitting on that 81-point night against the Toronto Raptors, as Phil Jackson He thought that some records had to stand, as members of the Lakers locker room decided to reveal years later.
The basketball gods don’t like us looking to break records
With or without a record, Klay is a true long-distance throwing legend. He added his eighth game with more than 10 triples in his career, only surpassed by the 22 of the best in history in that facet, his partner in ‘misdeeds’ Stephen Curry. In the NBA, his feats have always been defined as “When Klay broke the game of basketball.” Against the Thunder, one more starting with 27 points at halftime.
“It’s a great way to play,” said another of his fellow Warriors adventurers, Draymond Green. “We needed him to win again, especially in the first game without Curry,” added after a performance by Thompson that closed with 4:41 left and a shooting card of 15/22 and 12/16 from the 3-point line. In history, only Curry, Kobe Bryant, Zach LaVine and Donyell Marshall have reached that number. The Warriors are placed 28-26 in that fight to avoid the Play-In.
