He showed up when they needed him the most.
Just when the Warriors appeared to be packing for a trip back to Memphis for a Game 7 in the Western Conference Playoffs’ second round, Game 6, Klay arrived to rescue the day. Thompson led all Golden State scorers with 30 points and eight three-pointers, propelling his club to the Western Conference Finals.
“It’s something that comes naturally. I didn’t just go to sleep last night thinking I was scoring 30 or shooting the ball well,” Thompson said. “I was thinking about how far I’ve come and how grateful I am to have another close-out game at Chase. Luckily it was one of my nights, and you know, carry this momentum into the Western Conference Finals.”
30 Points
8 ThreesKlay Thompson 🔥 pic.twitter.com/2gyJIUHd5W
— Golden State Warriors (@warriors) May 14, 2022
In a game in which both Stephen Curry and Jordan Poole struggled from the field — up until the last quarter in Curry’s case — the Warriors needed to score. Klay Thompson steps forward.
Thompson was the only Warriors player who successfully shot the ball in the first half. Thompson made 5 of his first 7 triple attempts and finished with 17 points at halftime.
But this was nothing new for Thompson, who has a history of excelling in Game 6s. The most memorable of these came in 2016, when he scored 41 points against the Oklahoma City Thunder in the Western Conference Finals, hitting 11 three-pointers.
When asked if Friday felt like his last Game 6 appearances, Thompson answered, “It felt better.” “Especially the perspective I’ve gained from the injuries I’ve had to now be able to compete at the highest level and be one of the final four teams. It’s a feeling that’s hard to describe, honestly.”
Thompson tore his Achilles and ACL in consecutive years, resulting in a two-year absence. He was back in full shape when he returned in January of this year.
Thompson finished the night with 30 points and eight three-pointers, helping the Warriors to their first Conference Finals appearance in three years, which never gets old for the Washington State product.
“It’s truly amazing,” Thompson said. “It just inspires me to keep going because I think we still have great basketball ahead of us.”
