These days, Klay Thompson is just trying to find a balance.
A balance between his fierce competitive fire and the minutes restrictions that hold him back. A balance between his outward zen and the frustration he feels when his ego is tested. He’s still finding his footing on the court, too. He’s getting the right lift under his legs when he dances into his textbook shooting form even if those shots are falling short.
Thompson had typically been able to keep those battles brewing below water. But he’s talking now.
After the Warriors’ 123-110 win over the Miami Heat on Thursday, Thompson addressed his shooting slump, the Devin Booker spat that led to his first career ejection and, unprompted, TNT panelist Charles Barkley’s comment that Thompson is “not the same guy” after his injuries.
“No duh, man,” Thompson said of Barkley’s comment. “I tore my ACL and Achilles in consecutive years and still helped a team win a championship. It hurt hearing that because I put so much freakin’ effort getting back to this point. It’s hard to even put into words what I had to do to be the player I am today. Played 57 games in three years, give me some freakin’ time to get that back…It hurt my heart hearing that.”
Steph Curry had his teammate’s back.
“Certain guys kinda forget what their careers looked like on the back end,” Curry said. “So you can cast and throw those stones, but Klay is still here helping us win championships after two hellish years he had.”
The truth lies somewhere between. Unsurprisingly, Thompson hasn’t been scoring or defending like his pre-injured self; he is shooting below 40% from 3 for the first time in his career since his January return last season. He was shooting 28% from 3 heading into Thursday’s game.
But Thompson’s legs are coming back, his conditioning is improving and — most importantly to Thompson — his minutes restriction is slowly lifting from 15 minutes to 29 minutes against Miami, where went 5-for-14 from 3.
Some of those 3s came with Curry seeking him out. After 12 years together, Curry has a knack of knowing when to start feeding Thompson. Including a pair of back-to-back Thompson 3-pointers on Curry assists to open the second half.
“A good rule of thumb is to get Klay shots,” Curry said. “That’s usually a good decision.”
Thompson usually starts seasons in shooting slumps, he noted. It’s true. He’s shot well below 40% in five of his last six Octobers. It’s never stopped him from shooting, and it’s always paid off.
“If I’m not out there shooting, I don’t know what to do,” Thompson said. “That’s what I was born to do. I’ve made more playoff threes than everybody except Steph. So I’m going to let it fly anytime I’m open. That’s my nature.”
That confidence could give Warriors fans solace that Thompson won’t be slumping all year while conceding that the major injuries throw a wrench into normality for the 32-year-old guard.
But that same confidence now fuels trash talk. Tuesday in Phoenix, Thompson had his first career ejection after arguing with Suns player Booker during the game. Thompson was repeatedly reminding Booker of the Warriors’ four rings.
Thompson doesn’t remember what he said to Booker.
“I’m not sure, sounds like I was stating facts,” Thompson said. “Honestly I don’t even remember. Pretty much blacked out and in a very angry place at the time. Sometimes it feels good to let go of the frustration. Better than holding it in.”
Thompson reciprocated Booker’s reverence for him with a story about Booker texting that ‘the shooting guard battle won’t be the same’ without him after he tore his Achilles two years ago. And, no, they haven’t texted since the on-court scuffle. But best believe Thompson will add this and the Barkley comment to the large chip on his shoulder
“I’m going to internalize it and it’s gonna be fuel for me to be even better,” Thompson said. “I’m going to have a great year, bet on that.”
