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Golden State Warriors: Midseason Team Awards

By Gerald Bourguet

Jan 21, 2015; Oakland, CA, USA; Golden State Warriors center Andrew Bogut (12), guard Klay Thompson (11), and forward Draymond Green (23) celebrate after the Warriors
Jan 21, 2015; Oakland, CA, USA; Golden State Warriors center Andrew Bogut (12), guard Klay Thompson (11), and forward Draymond Green (23) celebrate after the Warriors /
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Golden State Warriors
Jan 23, 2015; Oakland, CA, USA; Golden State Warriors guard Clay Thompson (11) is greeted after scoring a three point shot against the Sacramento Kings in the second half of their NBA basketball game at Oracle Arena. Mandatory Credit: Lance Iversen-USA TODAY Sports. Thompson set a record 52 points in their win over the kings. /

MIP: Klay Thompson

To be honest, I believe Draymond Green is a better Most Improved Player candidate than anyone on Golden State’s roster. But for the sake of variety, and in honor of Klay Thompson’s record-setting night against the Sacramento Kings, we’re going to go with someone who has admittedly improved quite a bit over his four years in the league.

Oh, that record-setting performance? Thompson dropped 52 points on the Kings, including an NBA-record 37 in the third quarter. Let’s have moment of silence to appreciate the awesomeness of a guy going 13-for-13 from the floor and 9-for-9 from downtown in a single quarter:

Thompson’s “breakout season” isn’t really a breakout season, though. He hasn’t come out of nowhere; his improvement has really just been a steady progression since he first entered the league:

  • 2011-12: 24.4 MPG, 12.5 PPG, 2.4 RPG, 2.0 APG, 0.7 SPG, 0.3 BPG, .443/.414/.868 shooting, 14.9 PER
  • 2012-13: 35.8 MPG, 16.6 PPG, 3.7 RPG, 2.2 APG, 1.0 SPG, 0.5 BPG, .422/.401/.841 shooting, 12.7 PER
  • 2013-14: 35.4 MPG, 18.4 PPG, 3.1 RPG, 2.2 APG, 0.9 SPG, 0.5 BPG, .444/.417/.795 shooting, 14.3 PER
  • 2014-15: 32.3 MPG, 22.8 PPG, 3.5 RPG, 3.0 APG, 1.3 SPG, 1.0 BPG, .481/.458/.864 shooting, 22.9 PER

Still, Thompson emerging as more than just a 3-and-D player has been a marvel to watch unfold. This Splash Brother was little more than a catch-and-shoot player last season, a guy who couldn’t create his own offense.

Now, Thompson has added so many moves to his arsenal that he’s capable of attacking the rim, pump faking to get a better shot or finding open teammates when he drives. Add that to his pesky defense and only Green’s improvement from last year has been more noticeable on the Warriors.

That kind of progression to becoming one of the league’s best two-way players is the reason he should join Stephen Curry as an All-Star this February.

Next: Warriors Most Valuable Player

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