Why Golden State Warriors Need Klay Thompson to Make the Leap in 2013-14

The Golden State Warriors are off to a running start this season, and much of that has to do with Klay Thompson.

Thompson's play thus far has kept the team afloat in the Western Conference at 8-3 for an early third seed in the postseason picture. The Warriors can remain there, or go even further, but only if Thompson carries them the rest of the way.

Every team needs a core to be successful, and Thompson is an integral part of Golden State's powerhouse rotation. Stephen Curry and David Lee are regularly credited for the team's success, but Thompson is the shooting guard and third wheel who everyone forgets.

Much like Chris Bosh of the Miami Heat, Thompson operates effectively in the background, but is essential to the Warriors being a top-tier team. His 20.5 points per game thus far leads Golden State in addition to ranking among the top-20 scorers in the league. 

Thompson's shooting, which is easily the biggest upside of his game, is giving defenses nightmares. If his 50.7 percent clip from three-point range isn't enough, his average of 3.5 three-pointers per game leads the league.

Warriors head coach Mark Jackson said it best when he called Thompson "a top-five (shooting) guard in this league," per Bay Area News Group's Marcus Thompson. Many might tear that statement down, but a realistic examination of the top two-guards in the league makes it accurate.

In any case, the Warriors will need Thompson as a primary option—but not necessarily the primary option—to be successful this season and in the future. Curry's recent injuries (a bruised ankle on Nov. 7 in the latest of ankle problems) don't make him unreliable, but Golden State will need someone's shoulder to cry on during Curry's potential absence. That shoulder must belong to Thompson. 

Curry praised Thompson's development this season, saying in Marcus Thompson's piece that, "He's underrated with his playmaking. ... It's fun to watch, and I feel like its going to be around all year."

Thompson is only dropping an average of 1.6 dimes per game this season, so we haven't truly seen an example of his ability to generate assists, but it's safe to say that we can take Curry's word for it.

According to NBA.com, 94.1 percent of Thompson's long-range shots have come off of assists. That is the ultimate testament to his ability to play off the ball, as well work within the Warriors' game plan. While Curry has noted Thompson's development, which is a bonus for Golden State, it isn't necessary, as Thompson can exist within the system. Thompson has been able to score regardless of who is on the court—whether it's Curry, Lee or Andre Iguodala finding him open on the perimeter.

Thompson doesn't need a teammate to take the defensive pressure away from him. He only needs his court awareness to find open spots where he can hoist his silky-smooth jumpers. Players like Ray Allen and Richard Hamilton have cemented their careers with their ability to move off the ball. The same can be said for Thompson.

He has developed into a scorer that the Warriors can rely upon, as opposed to a mere shooter. Last season, Thompson needed help on 83.3 percent of his shots, with just 16.7 percent of those coming unassisted. Much like this season, however, the scale was tipped due to his prowess for getting open on the three-point line, so his numbers there don't tell the whole story. 

In his two-point field-goal attempts, Thompson shot just 24.9 percent unassisted. While Curry and Lee did much of the heavy lifting on offense last season, it still points to how reliant Thompson was on those around him. So far this season he's managed to step into his own, with 48.9 percent shooting of his two-point attempts coming unassisted. 

His overall percentage will always swing in favor of "assisted" as opposed to "unassisted", due to Thompson's skill playing away from the ball, but it still points to his development from a spot-up guy to one of the league's top scorers.

He'll be a valuable commodity for Golden State down the stretch, especially in the playoffs as they lacked another scorer beside Curry last season. Thompson managed 15.2 points per game in the postseason, but a 21-point scorer demands much more defensive attention than a 15-point shooter.

The Warriors are a top-10 offensive team so far this season, averaging 104.3 points per game. Golden State is also a top-10 defensive team, allowing just 96.3 points on 42.3 percent shooting per game. It's been a long time coming, but the Warriors are officially back in business. 

Thompson isn't the sole reason for the Warriors' return to the upper echelon of the NBA, but he'll be responsible for pushing them further over the line this season. He's now a scoring threat—with or without the ball—and eases the defensive pressure off his teammates. 

There's no doubting Thompson, and in turn no doubting the Golden State Warriors. They're back, and they're big-time.