Thompson made a huge splash in his first game, equalling a franchise mark with 22 points and hitting six 3-pointers as he shared the court for the first time with superstars Luka Dončić and Kyrie Irving. The Mavericks celebrated a strong start to the NBA season with a win over the San Antonio Spurs, scoring 120-109.
Klay Thompson was discussing with Tony Romo, the former NFL icon during a timeout in the last quarter. In the next second after that conversation, he was open behind the three-point line. He hesitated for the split of a second, dribbled once, got ready for the perfect angle, and dropped a 3-pointer.
Klay Thompson’s game with Dallas in his first marks a step further from the end of his stint with the Golden State Warriors, which ended triumphantly as part of this new exciting chapter coming his way as a talented shooter.
As Thompson looks back on his first game, he admits “I was a bit nervous, actually anxious.” But when he saw his first shot go in, everything changed for him. “It was fantastic,” he said, knowing it was only one game in October, but it relieved him to have scored his first point.
This came after a dismal outing in which he couldn’t net one, forcing him to sit out the fourth quarter of his last game for the Warriors – a play-in tournament loss back in April. Thompson got hot early, hitting his initial two shots each within inches of the rim and quickly missing four straight before hitting another three-pointer, but he shoots his way into the second half.
Dallas was stingy in the first half, allowing just 36% from the field. But Thompson turned the tide in the second half with 14 points – four out of five shots from long distance. That helped fuel an incredible turnaround, as the Mavericks hit 13 of 21 shots from beyond the arc after a dismal first half of 6 of 23. Aiding his great point total, the five-time All-Star grabbed seven rebounds and stole the ball from Spurs players three times.
The Mavericks again showed great composure in a magnificent play, running 16-3 to build a 20-point advantage. In this fine moment, a decisive 3-pointer came after a playfully joshing exchange with Romo, a spectator sitting courtside.
Thompson played well, even sinking his last 7 of 13 free throws, including a 6 of 10 three-point performance. Doncic also did his thing on the night, scoring 28 points, grabbing 10 rebounds, and dishing eight assists in a game that was essentially over very early.
Thompson reflected on the difficulty of being open, citing that it can become overthought just before one shoots. He recalled seeing Luka sprint down the court but carefully made the shot so as not to put Luka in a tough position.
In the game, Thompson was to make his only assist via a handoff following a screen. Though again poised to shoot another three-pointer, he opted to run for a few steps before passing out to Irving. Irving confidently nailed a three-pointer after that and now was at 15 points for the game.
Luka Dončić said playing with Klay Thompson is “like a dream”. It makes the game simpler for him and Kai, and it somehow opens up more space for everyone to play freely. According to Doncic, having Thompson is incredibly valuable.
Klay Thompson is getting the season off to a very energetic start, projecting strongly through his debut has excited fans, appearing ready to bring back excitement and flair, especially in Dallas.
