Golden State Warriors: 5 Lessons From Week 1

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Nov 2, 2014; Portland, OR, USA; Golden State Warriors guard Klay Thompson (11) reacts after making the game winning shot against the Portland Trail Blazers during the fourth quarter at the Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Craig Mitchelldyer-USA TODAY Sports /

2. Klay Thompson is on a mission

When Klay Thompson got his four-year, $70 million max deal, many justifiably questioned whether the 24-year-old was worth it. Sure, he was an impressive two-way guard on the rise after a tremendous summer at the FIBA World Cup, but a max player? Fortunately, the signs pointed to a breakout season from Thompson and so far, he’s exceeded expectations.

Through three games, Thompson is averaging 29.7 points per game on 53.7 percent shooting. He’s drained 10 of his 22 three-point attempts, provided his patented lockdown D on the perimeter and most impressively, shown he’s a much more well-rounded player on the offensive end.

Last season, Thompson was basically just a catch-and-shoot threat. This year, he hasn’t hesitated to take the ball to the rim, where he’s either gotten to the foul line (23 free throw attempts in three games) or finished at the basket. One night after dropping a career-high 41 points on the Los Angeles Lakers, Thompson was clutch again with a go-ahead basket against the Portland Trail Blazers. Just ask Robin Lopez if he thinks Klay Thompson is still a one-dimensional player on offense:

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