Klay Thompson shook the internet on Sunday night with a long-distance 3-point shot that banked off the backboard.
He beat the buzzer by juking Austin Rivers with a pivot step in the fourth quarter of the Golden State Warriors’ 109-104 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Thompson finished the night with a team-high 32 points and 42 against the Houston Rockets on Friday as he led the Warriors to back-to-back wins. Golden State, which is seventh in the Western Conference, is playing without superstar Steph Curry and defensive force Draymond Green due to injury. All-Star Andrew Wiggins has also been out while tending to a family matter.
In their absence, Thompson said he has had to handle the ball more and step into a leadership role like never before.
‘I’m out there talking more than I ever had to,’ he said on NBA TV after the win over the Timberwolves. ‘I’m out there calling sets, just being encouraging on the bench and it’s not really in my comfort zone because I’m not the most vocal person, but it has me grow so much as not only a player, but a leader and I’m having a great time during this stretch while our guys are getting healthy.’
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There are positives to other role players getting minutes as fifth-year player Donte DiVincenzo added 21 points and eight-year veteran Kevon Looney nabbing 17 rebounds. Thompson said that the added minutes will result in much-needed experience come playoffs.
‘We had an ugly stretch … and people were doubting our championship aspirations,’ the four-time champion said, ‘but I feel the same kind of resiliency from this squad this year and I think it’s just going to pay off so great come postseason.’
