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Golden State Warriors: 2016-17 First Quarter Grades

By Gerald Bourguet

November 28, 2016; Oakland, CA, USA; Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green (23) celebrates with forward Kevin Durant (35) and guard Klay Thompson (11) during the fourth quarter against the Atlanta Hawks at Oracle Arena. The Warriors defeated the Hawks 105-100. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
November 28, 2016; Oakland, CA, USA; Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green (23) celebrates with forward Kevin Durant (35) and guard Klay Thompson (11) during the fourth quarter against the Atlanta Hawks at Oracle Arena. The Warriors defeated the Hawks 105-100. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports /
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Golden State Warriors
December 5, 2016; Oakland, CA, USA; Golden State Warriors guard Klay Thompson (11) celebrates after making a three-point basket during the second quarter against the Indiana Pacers at Oracle Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports /

Klay Thompson

For the second season in a row, Klay Thompson didn’t get off to the hottest of starts. Aside from opening the season 3-for-28 from three-point range, through his first nine games, Klay was averaging 17.6 points per game on .441/.281/.923 shooting splits.

Since then, he’s posting 24.9 points per game on more characteristic .496/.444/.878 shooting splits. Even better, it wasn’t just his 60-point, 21-for-33 shooting masterpiece against the Pacers that bumped his averages up either.

On the season, Thompson is now averaging 22.0 points, 3.6 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game on .476/.387/.887 shooting — down ever so slightly from last year’s career season of 22.1 points, 3.8 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game on .470/.425/.873 shooting, but not nearly as down as you’d think for guy whose high-powered offense had to find looks for Kevin Durant.

Thompson actually has the second-best net rating of anyone on the team at +16.1, trailing only Stephen Curry’s +17.3.

Sure, the 60-point game and its +49.4 net rating probably had a lot to do with that, but as much as we don’t want to sum up Klay’s first 23 games based on one masterful performance, it’s hard to fault him too much for a rocky start when he’s shown — and emphatically so — that it can still be his night on any given night.

Grade: A-

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