Golden State Warriors: 3 takeaways from Game 4 victory vs. Clippers
1. Klay Thompson’s breakout game
Prior to Game 4, Klay Thompson had been struggling to find a rhythm offensively in this series, shooting just 33.3 percent from beyond the arc with 13.7 points per game. This was a far cry from his regular season averages of 40.2 percent and 21.5 points per game. Golden State had managed to get by in building a 2-1 series lead, but it wouldn’t hurt to have one of the best shooters of all time regain his touch moving forward.
In the win, Thompson broke out of his slump, canning six of his nine shots from beyond the arc on his way to 32 points, including 17 in the first quarter alone. He was his usual stingy self on defense as well, playing a large part in holding the Clippers to just 42.5 percent shooting from the field overall.
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Klay is not the shot creator his MVP teammates are. He gets his attempts within the flow of the offense, whether sprinting off screens or a simple standstill look off penetration, barely touching the ball for more than a few seconds at a time. This can make it hard for the five-time All-Star to remain consistent, although he more than makes up for it with his defensive prowess and constant motion on offense.
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When he’s got it going, Golden State becomes a classic case of pick your poison. Either let the duo of Curry and Durant do their thing, or let the guy who once scored 60 points in 29 minutes find a groove from beyond the arc. There is no obvious answer to that mind-numbing conundrum, and it’s one both Thompson and the Warriors would like to keep going as they march on in search for their third straight championship.