After 13 seasons with the Golden State Warriors, Klay Thompson, who was selected with the 11th overall pick in the 2011 NBA Draft, has decided to move on. Throughout his time with the Warriors, Thompson played in 793 regular-season games and 158 playoff games, winning four NBA championships.
He also set several records, including the NBA regular-season record for most points scored in a quarter (37) and the record for most three-pointers made in a game (14).
This summer, Thompson bid farewell to the Warriors to join the reigning Western Conference champions, the Dallas Mavericks, and their star player Luka Doncic.
It’s highly likely that the Warriors will retire the number 11 in honor of Thompson’s contributions to the franchise.
Curry Not Happy with Klay’s New Teammates
The “Splash Brothers,”Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson, are widely regarded as the best backcourt duo in NBA history. Together, they achieved numerous milestones, including sharing the record for most three-pointers made in a single postseason (98) and leading the Warriors to a 73-9 regular season, the best in NBA history. Over the years, their on-court success led to a strong friendship off the court. However, even the closest of friends can feel a twinge of jealousy.
This was evident when Curry jokinglyexpressed his discomfort upon seeing Klay chatting with Dereck Lively, a player for the Mavericks, during a WNBA game between last year’s finalists, the Las Vegas Aces (22-13) and the New York Liberty (29-6). Curry, in a playful manner, interrupted the conversation, grimacing and saying, “Eww.” It’s clear that Curry will miss having Klay as a teammate.
With Klay now in Dallas, Curry is left with Draymond Green as the only other remaining member of the Warriors’ 2015 championship team. The Warriors have brought in Buddy Hield to try to fill the void left by Klay.
It’s worth noting that Klay’s last game with the Warriors was not his best, as he produced zero points (0-10 FG, 0-6 3Pt) in a win-or-go-home game against the Sacramento Kings.
Now with the Mavericks, who lost in the finals to the Boston Celtics, Klay will be a significant threat due to the attention that stars like Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving draw.
He is expected to be the third offensive option, similar to his role when Kevin Durant was with the Warriors, which were some of his most productive years in terms of points and field goal percentage.
WNBA: Final Days of the Regular Season
The Liberty’s victory over the two-time defending champions, the Las Vegas Aces, has solidified their status as the favorites for this year’s title.
If the Liberty win their remaining games, they will tie the record of 34 victories set last season by the Aces.
With 10 days left in the regular season, only one playoff spot remains up for grabs. The battle for this spot is between the Chicago Sky (13-22), Atlanta Dream (12-23), and Washington Mystics (11-24).
However, whichever team secures the final playoff berth will face the daunting task of playing against the New York Liberty in the first round, where a sweep seems likely.
