Klay Thompson: Can He Keep Up Scoring Pace?
By Evan Massey
Can Klay Thompson keep up his scoring tear for the Golden State Warriors this season?
The Golden State Warriors agreed to a four-year, maximum contract extension with Klay Thompson and they have been very happy with the early results of the deal. Thompson has always been able to score at a high level, but he has taken his offensive game to a completely new level through the first three games of the season.
Take a look at Thompson’s averages through three games:
Provided by Basketball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 11/5/2014.
Needless to say, those numbers are extremely impressive and he is currently leading the NBA in scoring per game by 2.1 points over the second place Kobe Bryant. He has one of the best three-point shots that the NBA has seen recently, and he has gotten much more confident putting the ball on the floor and pulling up from mid-range. Thompson has the ability and athleticism to get to the rim more than he does as well.
So the question now becomes, can Thompson keep up the type of scoring that he been able to do so far this year?
Thompson has shot 53.7 percent from the floor overall and 45.5 percent from behind the three-point arc. It’s hard for any NBA shooting guard that is asked to shoulder the type of scoring load that Thompson is to keep those percentages up. That being said, he has been putting up these numbers with defenses trying to lock him down.
Both Thompson and Stephen Curry are the top scorers on the Warriors’ roster, and they are able to get each other open. Steve Kerr has done a great with the offense, and can get either one of his shooters a look when he wants them.
If he is going to continue putting up nearly 30 points per game, Thompson will need to continue getting to the free-throw line like he has. He has averaged 7.7 free-throw attempts per game in the first three games, and those free points are huge to get players going throughout a game. Thompson is shooting 91.3 percent from the foul line, and needs to continue getting there regularly.
Defenses are going to begin locking in on him even more than they have been with the scoring numbers that he has put up. He will need to adjust his game to keep them guessing, and begin going to the rim more often than he has been this year. Curry is still going to be able to draw the defensive focus off of Thompson somewhat, but it will get more difficult for Thompson to get open.
That being said, he is one of the most talented scorers that the NBA has and he will adjust his game accordingly. Whether that means getting to the rim more or simply making more contested shots, he will figure out a way to get the job done.
To answer the question, it isn’t all that likely that Thompson will end up averaging nearly 30 points per game this year. He will slow down a bit as the season moves forward, but he will be among the league leaders. It wouldn’t be surprising at all to see him finish the season at around 25 points per game, if not a bit higher.
Golden State had a tough decision to make on whether to give Thompson that maximum contract, but they have made the right decision. There is no question that he has more “star” potential to tap into, and the future has never been brighter for the Warriors.