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Klay Thompson on Cavs Rivalry in LeBron Era: 'Pettiness Gets You 1-8 in Finals'

Tyler Conway@jtylerconwayFeatured ColumnistDecember 4, 2018

ATLANTA, GA - DECEMBER 3: Klay Thompson #11 of the Golden State Warriors dunks the ball during the game against the Atlanta Hawks on December 3, 2018 at State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia.  NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Scott Cunningham/NBAE via Getty Images)
Scott Cunningham/Getty Images

Only a true Petty King can be petty while criticizing another person for being petty.

It's probably time we schedule Klay Thompson's anointing ceremony.

The Golden State Warriors guard lobbed a massive pile of shade at LeBron James (and/or the Cleveland Cavaliers) when reminded of the Cavaliers' 2016 Halloween party that featured Thompson and Steph Curry on tombstone cookies.

"Oh, yeah. Ha!" Thompson told Anthony Slater of The Athletic. "That was funny. Look how that turned out. Psssh. Bums. That was crazy. I forgot about that. Well, look at what pettiness gets you. Gets you 1-8 in the Finals. Idiots."

As far as shade goes, Thompson levied a haymaker. The Warriors defeated the Cavaliers in two straight Finals after the Cavs upset them for the 2016 NBA title, knocking them out in five games in 2017 and sweeping them in 2018. 

One could, however, argue that the Cavs' 1-8 record in the last two Finals has more to do with the arrival of Kevin Durant in Golden State than any culinary choices. Cookies, to my knowledge, are yet to become sentient and win consecutive Finals MVPs. 

The back-to-back embarrassments nonetheless led to LeBron's departure for Los Angeles and Cleveland's current state as one of the NBA's worst franchises.

The Warriors are scheduled to play in Cleveland for the first time since James' departure Wednesday night.