SAN FRANCISCO – Klay Thompson delivered four defining moments in the final 124 seconds on Wednesday night that collectively reminded him of his status as a five-time NBA All-Star.
Every play was crucial for the Warriors and the timing of the fourth was absolutely exquisite.
With the Warriors trailing Sacramento within the final 10 seconds and the Kings turning their defense on Stephen Curry, Thompson took a pass from Draymond Green, dribbled to the left corner of the foul line, pulled up, took off and spun.
The ball fell through the net with 0.2 seconds left, giving the Warriors a gloriously awful 102-101 victory before a nervous but ultimately euphoric sellout crowd (18,064) at Chase Center.
“A big, big, big achievement for us – and for him,” Curry said.
“Every time you hit a great game-winner, you’re going to feel like you’re on cloud nine,” Thompson said. “If someone doesn’t do that, they’re lying to you. I feel great. I could have played better. But it’s a great win and I just feel wonderful.”
Thompson’s shot punctuated a series of plays he made late in the game, without rhythm, rhyme or anything remotely resembling aesthetics.
There was the assist on a pocket pass that led a cutting Green into a layup that pulled Golden State within one point (95-94) with 2:04 left. Next, 36 seconds later, the roles reversed: Draymond passed to a cutting Klay for a layup that kept the Warriors at par (97-96).
The third play took place on defense. While the shot clock sent the Kings into a panic, Harrison Barnes’ shot attempt landed no further than Thompson’s right hand. The patrol block resulted in a shot clock violation.
Ball to the Warriors, down 99-98, with 38.4 seconds left.
“It was a huge game,” Green said. “For him to not let Harrison even get that shot down is a big play because there’s a shot clock violation and then you go downfield and give us an opportunity to get our offense going.”
“Such a big play for us on the home stretch. Normally the basketball gods reward you when you make plays like that. If you make hustle plays, if you’re committed, the basketball gods usually reward you.”
The ultimate reward in this case came 38.2 seconds later, when Thompson fired the shot that shook the building.
This was the third game-winning shot within the final five seconds of a regular season game, one against the Pacers in Indiana in 2014 and the other to defeat the Kings at Oracle Arena in 2018.
“He’s obviously made a million big throws for us over the years,” coach Steve Kerr said. “But hitting one with 0.2 seconds left when you’re on the ground is a thrill for anyone, no matter how many times you’ve done it.”
For Thompson, the role he played in the final two minutes washed away some of the frustration that had built up in the first three quarters. He was 3 of 11 from the field before going 3 of 4 in the fourth quarter. He finished the game with 14 points, three blocks, two rebounds and two assists and was a team-high plus-10 in his 29 minutes.
“I didn’t shoot the ball as well as I wanted to tonight, but I stuck with it defensively,” Thompson said. “And that’s why I was able to hit that shot at the end.”
For much of the game, Thompson made the futility of his first three games even more apparent. There were no hot moments. The scoreboard doesn’t light up. He averaged 17.3 points but was clearly searching for his better self.
It was fair to wonder if his contract status was a nuisance. Thompson will be an unrestricted free agent next summer and negotiations have cooled, although they could resume any day.
However, it was clear that not only Thompson, but also those who had seen him at his best, felt a certain level of despair.
“He’s been working on finding his rhythm and starting the season (better),” Green said. “To see him hit a big shot like that in the clutch that we were able to take home was great. It was even better to see his reaction.”
Thompson’s response was a gesture of joy and a series of chest punches, starting with Green, who was also given a firm chest tap. Klay was relieved and felt great about himself and his enormous contribution to defeating a rival.
“Really happy for Klay,” Kerr said. “He put in a lot of work this summer and the season started a little slow for him in camp. But he’s finding his groove, and that was obviously a big performance.”
Thompson and the Warriors hope the groove and defensive tenacity continues. The front office wants to see if Klay can still play at an All-Star level. That is his goal. This night was a solid step towards that.
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