Klay Thompson’s Superhuman 42-Point Outing: Warriors Dominate OKC with Fluid Precision
Golden State Warriors Thrive Without Stephen Curry
Klay Thompson, along with the Golden State Warriors, have been known for their “Strength in Numbers” mentality, but for many years, the team has heavily relied on the services of their superstar Stephen Curry. Even during the Kevin Durant era, there were two different Warriors teams: with Curry and without Curry. Currently, Curry is on the sidelines, nursing a knee injury, and the Warriors are battling to stay above the play-in line in the Western Conference and avoid falling into the lottery. But despite Curry’s absence, the team has been thriving and their latest win, a 141-114 victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder, is testament to that.
Klay Thompson Shines with Career-High 12 Three-Pointers
11 THREES FOR KLAY THOMPSON 🤯
— NBA (@NBA) February 7, 2023
🎯: 39 PTS, 11 3PM
WATCH: https://t.co/1pomQZMAZK pic.twitter.com/GGJUJ4BHWn
Klay Thompson was the star of the night, draining a career-high 12 three-pointers and scoring a game-high 42 points. The Warriors’ shooting guard is known for his long-range shooting abilities and his performance against the Thunder is just one of many examples of his talent. Klay Thompson has now made 10 or more 3s in a game nine times in his career, a record only surpassed by Curry. Klay Thompson’s shooting display against the Thunder was made even more impressive as he did not attempt a single free throw, an uncommon feat for any player.
Warriors’ Dependence on Shooting from Beyond the Arc
The Warriors have struggled this season with free-throw attempts and have attempted fewer free throws compared to any other team in the league. Klay Thompson has never been a player to take many free throws and tends to rely on his shooting from beyond the arc. While this might be a weakness for the team, they just need to make sure they make a lot of shots to overcome this discrepancy.
Jordan Poole Impresses with Career-High 12 Assists
Another bright spark for the Warriors was Jordan Poole, who had a career-high 12 assists and made five three-pointers, contributing 21 points to the team’s total. Poole’s performance was reminiscent of Curry and his ability to quietly contribute to the team before exploding in a scoring frenzy. This, combined with Thompson’s performance, was enough to help the Warriors secure a convincing victory over the Thunder.
Klay Thompson Finds Inspiration in Bruce Lee’s Teachings
Press conference legend Klay Thompson: "As far as on the court, just to be like water is just to flow. Be effortless. Be quick, but not in a hurry and always have ultimate belief in yourself. So that's what it means to me to be like water. And I thought I resembled that tonight." pic.twitter.com/jOaFGQHBJ6
— HoopsHype (@hoopshype) February 7, 2023
In his post-game press conference, Thompson shared a quote that has been inspiring him. The quote, “As far as on the court, just to be like water is just to flow,” came from the book “Be Water, My Friend” by Shannon Lee, Bruce Lee’s daughter. Thompson revealed that the book has helped him a lot during his time away from basketball and he tries to apply the teachings of Lee and his daughter to his life both on and off the court.
Warriors’ Convincing Victory Demonstrates Team Strength
In conclusion, the Golden State Warriors’ victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder was a remarkable display of their strength as a team, even without their superstar Stephen Curry. Klay Thompson’s incredible shooting display and Jordan Poole’s dynamic performance show that the team has depth and that they are capable of stepping up and delivering when it matters. The Warriors will take on the Portland Trail Blazers next, and if they can maintain their current form, they will be a force to be reckoned with in the Western Conference.
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