Come playoff time, Klay Thompson typically has been at his best.
The legend of "Game 6 Klay" will forever be remembered, just ask the Oklahoma City Thunder and Houston Rockets. Not to mention his inspiring performance against the Toronto Raptors in Game 6 of the 2019 NBA Finals, returning to the court to shoot free throws after tearing his ACL.
With the Warriors set to face off against the Denver Nuggets at Chase Center on Saturday night in Game 1 of a first-round playoff series, Golden State will lean on Thompson's playoff acumen while they work Steph Curry back into the starting lineup after recovering from a sprained foot ligament.
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Warriors coach Steve Kerr believes that Thompson's playoff history speaks for itself.
“Well, Klay has traditionally been at his best in the postseason," Kerr told reporters in a press conference on Friday. "He loves the competition, he loves having to reach that next level performance-wise. The great thing with Klay is that I think over the last two to three weeks, he has really settled in and taken better shots and been more patient. Don’t know if the numbers show that -- I haven’t looked at them.
"But I think he has turned a corner with his poise and his execution on an individual level. All of our guys will be anxious and bouncy tomorrow to start the game, as everyone always is, especially with the first game in the playoffs. I’m sure Klay will be as well, and then it’s a matter of taking a deep breath at that first time out and settling in.”
In 123 career playoff games, Thompson is averaging 19.3 points per game on 44.2 percent shooting from the field and 41.5 percent from 3-point range. Excellent marks all across the board.
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Thompson initially struggled after making his triumphant return to the court in early January after a two-plus year absence. In the final two weeks, though, Thompson caught fire, helping the Warriors rattle off five-straight wins to close out the regular season and secure homecourt advantage in the first round of the playoffs.
If the Warriors have any hope of winning their fourth championship in eight seasons, they'll need continued success from Thompson in the playoffs.