Golden State Warriors: 3 takeaways from Game 5 thriller vs. Rockets

1. Welcome back, Klay Thompson

Klay Thompson’s offensive production has been noticeably absent from this second round matchup. Over the first four games of this series, the five-time All-Star was averaging just 15.3 points a night on 30.8 percent shooting from outside.

Those numbers were a far cry from his regular season averages of 21.5 points per game while hitting on 40.2 percent of his looks from downtown. The Warriors have rarely solely relied on Thompson to produce points, but his struggles made it more difficult to keep up with a potent Houston offense.

In Game 5, Klay broke out of his slump in a big way. He got off to a hot start with 12 points on 5-of-7 shooting in the first quarter and finished the game with 27, including a 5-of-10 mark on 3-point attempts.

When he’s firing on all cylinders, it is an aerial assault — one the league has never seen. The gravity he attracts with his every step and the ability to get off a shot in an instant is something no defense has an answer for.

With Durant at least slightly compromised likely for the remainder of this series and Curry still trying to reacquire his touch, Thompson is needed now more than ever. He may be overlooked sometimes, but his production could mean the difference between a win and loss in Game 6 as Golden State’s two best players look to overcome their recent struggles.