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Klay Thompson's Vintage Game 5 Celebrated as Warriors Advance to 2022 NBA Finals
May 27, 2022
The Golden State Warriors are headed to their sixth NBA Finals in eight seasons, and it only feels right that a vintage Klay Thompson game in Thursday's 120-110 victory over the Dallas Mavericks put them there this year.
While Thompson is one of the greatest shooters in NBA history and an integral part of three championships, he also missed the 2019-20 and 2020-21 seasons with ACL and Achilles injuries. He was a shadow of his former self at times this season, but the version who darts around screens and is automatic from deep took the floor at Chase Center for Game 5 of the Western Conference Finals.
Thompson made just seven three-pointers in the first four games of the series but dropped 32 points behind eight made triples Thursday.
Social media loved what it saw from the sharpshooter:
It wasn't just Thompson, as Stephen Curry (15 points and nine assists) played more of a facilitating role, Jordan Poole (16 points, six rebounds and six assists) provided an immediate spark off the bench, Kevon Looney (10 points and 18 boards) and Andrew Wiggins (18 points and 10 boards) controlled the boards, and Draymond Green (17 points, nine assists and six rebounds) did a little bit of everything.
It was gorgeous basketball throughout, and it crescendoed with a Green behind-the-back pass to Thompson for another three-pointer in the third quarter. It was also fitting Thompson's three-pointer with about three minutes remaining all but iced it.
Golden State's defense was also locked in for stretches while holding Luka Doncic to an inefficient 10-of-28 shooting from the field and 3-of-13 from deep to score his 28 points.
That type of defense may be necessary in the NBA Finals against Jayson Tatum and the Boston Celtics or Jimmy Butler and the Miami Heat, but Thompson's shooting could also swing the race for the Larry O'Brien Trophy like it did Thursday.