The life and death of the top team. The impact of Klay Thompson’s resurrection or not – NBA – Basketball | Sports Vision

Perhaps the most disturbing aspect of the Warriors’ early-season slump is Klay Thompson’s performance.

An important contributor to four championships, the taller of the “Splash Brothers” did not have a smooth start to the season this year. He looks like a player who is more than 33 years old. In addition to several thorny playoff appearances, he has experienced a lot. The season-ending injury undoubtedly caused a physical and mental burden on Thompson.

Those who long for the core of the Warriors dynasty to grow old together with the current young core will definitely want to look for any positive signs in Thompson’s performance during the season, and in fact, if you look back at the Warriors’ past few games, these signs may indeed be there.

Thompson averaged 14.0 points and shot 40.0% from the field in the first 13 games of the season, including a disappointing 33.0% from three-point range. The Warriors are 5-8 in those games.

However, in the five games before December, Thompson’s shooting percentage rebounded to 42.1%, averaging 20.0 points per game, and more importantly, his three-point shooting percentage reached 42.1%. In addition, his rebounds and assists have also improved, and the Warriors have begun to stop the bleeding from their previous losing streak.

This is of course good news! While the Warriors still have issues, any continued improvement starts with better performance from Thompson and Andrew Wiggins. Wiggins had shown flashes of promise in the past few weeks before his injury, such as a 29-point, 10-rebound performance against the Kings.

Thompson’s resurgence is especially noteworthy, but his struggles are highlighted by the fact that his contract is expiring. Thompson already looks frustrated, and adding potential trade rumors and/or speculation could create an incredibly bad situation.

For a team trying to avoid negative vibes in the 2022-23 season, the last thing the Warriors need is Thompson worrying about whether poor performance will lead to him being benched or having him see reports discussing why he should be traded. .

Thompson’s slight resurgence coincides with better performance from the Warriors’ starting five. In the first 87 minutes played by Stephen Curry, Thompson, Wiggins, Draymond Green and Kevon Looney this season, the net rating was a dismal -14.4.

In the recent time of this combination, which coincided with Thompson’s rejuvenation for five consecutive games and Green’s return after being suspended, their net rating actually reached +28.8.

However, the problem has not been solved at this moment. The injuries of Wiggins, Chris Paul and Gary Payton II have disrupted the plan. Although Wiggins has returned relatively recently, CP3 and GP2 may be absent for a longer period of time.

Meanwhile, despite Thompson’s improved performance, the Warriors are still looking for the right combination of rosters for them. Steve Kerr admits he shouldn’t have benched Moses Moody in the fourth quarter of a Nov. 28 loss to the Kings, the night the Warriors were eliminated from the midseason tournament.

Even if Thompson looks like what Thompson should be, Kerr can’t keep him on the court through every struggle, or at least have to leave more room for Moody and Jonathan Kuminga.

Considering the up-and-down performance of the veterans, perhaps these two deserve a bigger, more consistent role. The lineup of Curry, Moody, Thompson, Wiggins, and Green only played together for seven minutes, making one wonder if they could recreate some of the magic of the Death Five if they were given time.

The current situation with Thompson is encouraging, if not entirely optimistic, and if the Warriors are interested in turning around this season and becoming a contending team, they’ll have to first let their veterans show who they are. That doesn’t mean Kerr has to abandon young players in favor of his loyal veterans, but if Thompson does turn things around, maybe everyone will be more comfortable playing together.

[Special Editor Lin Yi/Responsible Editor Xie Yiqian]

Reference for compiling this article:Is Klay Thompson Finally Turning the Corner?

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