GOLDEN State Warriors shooting guard Klay Thompson is embracing his new role off the bench.
The five-time NBA All-Star set his season-high in scoring in his first game as the team’s sixth man.
Golden State Warriors shooting guard Klay Thompson lit up the Utah Jazz for a season-high 35 pointsCredit: Getty
He drained seven 3-pointersCredit: Getty
Thompson’s play drew comparisons to Chicago Bulls legend Michael JordanCredit: Getty
On Thursday, the Warriors final game before the All-Star break, Thompson was benched for rookie Brandin Podziemski.
Throughout the season, the four-time champion has struggled with his efficiency, mainly his career-low percentage from 3-point range.
However, Thompson responded to his displacement in the starting lineup with the best game of his season.
The shooting guard netted 35 points in just 28 minutes to help spark the Warriors 140-137 win over the Utah Jazz.
Thompson drained 13 of his 22 field goal attempts, nailing seven 3-pointers with six rebounds and two assists as well.
On X, formerly known as Twitter, fans compared his performance to the likeness of NBA legend Michael Jordan.
“Nothing phases him,” one wrote.
“Sixth man Klay is him,” a second said.
“Klay as a starter, Klay off the bench,” another added, with a side-by-side picture comparison of sportscaster Stephen A. Smith attempting a jump shot compared to Jordan’s silky smooth pull-up.
“He’s back,” a fourth remarked.
Postgame with NBC Sports, Thompson revealed he switched his mindset coming off the bench.
“Found out this morning,” he shared.
“Me and Steve [Kerr] had a good talk about it.
“You can do two things, you can pout, or you can go out there and respond.
“And I thought I did the latter very well tonight.”
Entering the All-Star break, the Warriors are 10th in the Western Conference with a 27-26 record.
If they want to make the playoffs, they’ll need everything Thompson has left in the tank.
So far this season, the two-time All-NBA shooter is averaging over 17 points per game.
Once the year concludes, though, Thompson could move away from the Bay area.
He’s set to be an unrestricted free agent at the end of the 2023-24 season.
Thompson is averaging over 17 points per game this seasonCredit: Getty
