As Klay Thompson endured an inconsistent 2023 NBA playoff showing, the Warriors needed their sharpshooter to do what he does best in the game where the world anticipated he'd shine.
Instead, there were no signs of “Game 6 Klay,” and his fellow Splash Bro, Steph Curry, was left trying his hardest to pick up the slack from his other teammates. But Curry’s game-high 32 points weren’t enough as the defending champions' season ended with a second-round exit, courtesy of the Los Angeles Lakers.
ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith believes Thompson will have to live with his performance in the Western Conference semifinals -- or rather, his lack thereof.
"Klay Thompson did drop 30 in Game 2. Now, I don’t know what the hell happened in Games 4, 5 and 6,” Smith said Monday morning on “First Take.” “I almost want to faint. Nine [points], 10 and eight? Klay Thompson? I never saw that coming. Who would’ve thought that?
“I don’t give a damn what kind of clamps you put on him. He’s one of the top five greatest shooters in the history of basketball. It’s going to be a long offseason for him to look at knowing what an exceptional marksman he is, to go out like that, and to leave Steph Curry hanging, he’s going to have to live with that for a long time."
Facing elimination and entering a Game 6 situation in which Thompson historically has performed well, the Warriors knew they'd need the 33-year-old guard to showcase his elite behind-the-arc shooting. He started the best-of-seven series scoring 25 and 30 points, respectively, but then averaged just 10.5 points on 25 percent shooting from the field and 27.8 percent shooting from 3-point range in 37.1 minutes played in the final four contests.
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Playing in his hometown, for the first time in his NBA career, against the team he grew up rooting for was a dream come true for Thompson. Unfortunately, he couldn't translate his excitement to the hardwood at Crypto.com Arena. In the three games played in LA, Thompson averaged just 10.6 points on a combined 11-of-44 shooting (25 percent) from the field and 8 of 30 shooting (26.6 percent) from downtown.
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And in that final chance to keep the Warriors' season alive, Thompson shot 3 of 19 (15.7 percent) from the field and 2 of 12 (16.7 percent) from deep -- numbers worth his awkward reaction after the loss.
Thompson acknowledged the loss was "going to sting all summer," but he's confident he and the Warriors will be back.