Klay Thompson’s return can’t come anytime soon.
The last time we saw Thompson on the basketball court was Game 6 of the 2019 NBA Finals. He tore his ACL during that game, leaving him sidelined for the entire 2019-20 season. He then tore his Achilles ahead of the 2020-21 season, skipping another full season.
It looks like Thompson is getting closer to getting the floor back, with the star guard himself saying he could be back in the “next few weeks, maybe a month,” on Instagram live recently.
THAN: The overwhelming questions that Klay must face before the return
We can only hope that Thompson comes back as close to full as possible because before his injury he was one of the best goalscorers and talents in the league.
NBA League Pass: Sign up to unlock live out-of-market games (7 days free trial)
3 seconds over 3 seconds over 3 seconds over 3 seconds
In 2003, Kobe Bryant set a new NBA record for hitting 12 3-pointers in a game. Two years later, Donyell Marshall set that record.
Bryant and Marshall’s record stood for more than a decade. Stephen Curry tied it at the end of the 2015-16 season, only to break it with 13 3-pointers near the start of the 2016-17 season.
Thompson then advanced his Splash Brother on October 29, 2018 with a 14-3 in a win over the Bulls.
Thompson finished the game with 52 points from 18 to 29 and 14 to 24 to 3, all in – wait – 26 minutes of play. (Thompson sat on the bench with 4:53 left in the third inning and never returned with the game over.) 10 of his 3s came in the first half, setting the record held by Chandler Parsons for the most 3s ever set in a half.
Oh, and Thompson just took nine dribbles.
MVP POWER RANKINGS: Steph leads the group
Only dribble when necessary
On January 8, 2019, Thompson scored a top 43 in a win over the Knicks, doing so in an 18-29 shot from the field and a seven-16 from three.
The craziest part of all? He only lost four dribbles.
In terms of perspective, there are a total of 66 players making at least 4 dribbles on average whenever they touch the ball into the 2020-21 season.
For Thompson to score 43 points on dribbling less than some players use in one possession … unreal.
THAN: Sort through candidates, fake candidates after Week 1
A quarter for the record books
Everyone who played for the Kings during the 2014-15 season probably believes in the hot hand theory, because they lined up in the front row for Thompson to transform into a flamethrower in the middle of an NBA game.
Thompson not only lit up the Kings with 52 points, but also scored 37 points in the third quarter alone, setting the NBA record for points scored in a half previously held by Kevin Love.
Thompson made even more history by hitting the perfect shot 13 to 13 from the field and 9 to 9 from the outside in this period, setting the NBA record for the number of on-court goals taken in a quarter and Break the record of 3 seconds made in a match. quarter.
“I’m one of the luckiest NBA players to ever play with Michael Jordan, Tim Duncan, David Robinson and some of the greatest players ever,” Warriors head coach Steve Kerr speaks after the game. “As many spectacular things as Michael did, which he did nightly, I’ve never seen him do it.”
Klay Thompson actually scored 37 points in one inning.
💧9 / 9 3PT
13 / 13 FG
💧 Record for PTS in a quarter
💧Record for 3 seconds in a quarter
💧Record for FG in a quarter (tie) pic.twitter.com/RFD4wtEvhj– Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) May 12, 2020
THAN: Lose Stephen Curry and do it at your own risk
You miss 100% of the photos you don’t take
Everyone who played for the Lakers during the 2018-19 season probably believes in the hot theory, too.
In the big win against the Lakers, Thompson scored 44 points in a 10 to 11 shot from the outside. He started the game with a perfect 10 to 10 shot from a 3-point range before missing his only 3-point effort of the night with 3:55 remaining in the third inning.
In 10 seconds 3 in a row, Thompson equaled the NBA record of making 3 consecutive seconds to start the game.
Want to guess who Thompson shares the record with? No, not Curry. Neither did Ray Allen. Not Damian Lillard, James Harden or Duncan Robinson.
The answer is…
Ty Lawson, believe it or not.
The first to do it
How’s history: Thompson is the only player ever to score 60 points in less than 30 minutes of play, per Stathead.
In a win over the Pacers on December 5, 2016, Thompson scored a career-best 60 points shooting 21 33 from the field and 8 14 from 3 points while scoring just 29 minutes. With the Warriors leading with 33 points after three-quarters of the game, Thompson sat on the bench for the entire fourth half.
Thompson’s number of dribbles? 11. So more than five, but not much.
S/O to my team for arranging me 2 nights! I don’t think it took me more than 5 dribbles in the whole game lol
– klay thompson (@KlayThompson) December 6, 2016
Additionally, Thompson had possession of the ball for a total of 90 seconds of the 29 minutes he was on the field.
A return to the ages
You couldn’t tell the story of Thompson’s career without Game 6 of the 2016 Western Conference Finals.
After a record-breaking regular season that saw the Warriors win 73 games, Golden State edged out Oklahoma City 3-1 in the 2016 Western Conference Finals. The Warriors defeated the Thunder in Game 5 in Gold Status to keep their season alive and head to Oklahoma City for Game 6.
For you to repeat, it’s a championship-level Thunder team featuring Russell Westbrook, Kevin Durant and Serge Ibaka. The three of them kept the Warriors on their way into the fourth quarter of Game 6 with an eight-point lead, but that’s when Thompson took matters into his own hands.
After 14 points in the third quarter, Thompson added 19 points in the fourth quarter to lead the Warriors back and force a game 7. Thompson was again extremely efficient, shooting 6 to 9 from the field and 5 to 6 from the range. vi 3 points.
Pretty much all of the shots Thompson did in that fourth quarter were highly challenging.
At WCF 2016, Klay Thompson hit 11 3-pointers against the Thunder to set a playoff record.
“Game 6 Klay” is legendary. Shall we see him again tonight? 💦 pic.twitter.com/qYuABpljy7
– SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) June 13, 2019
Thompson led the Warriors with 41 points in an 11-versus-18 shot from the outer ring, setting the NBA record for 3 seconds taken in a knockout.
The Warriors went on to beat Thunder in Game 7 to advance to the NBA Finals, becoming the 10th team in NBA history to surpass a 3-1 lead in the knockout stages… only to soon become the first team in NBA history 3-1 lead in the Finals.
Even so, Game 6 against the Thunder is one of the greatest shooting exhibits we’ve seen in the knockouts and may have ever seen.
