“He knows April, May and June is what it’s all about, I can’t wait to see it” - Steph Curry's advice to returning Klay Thompson
Klay Thompson has played in just four games for the Golden State Warriors, and from the looks of it he is still trying to get back to the Thompson of old. In a recent one-on-one interview with The Athletic, Stephen Curry talked about Thompson’s return and some of the advice he shared with this teammate.
The Warriors have got off to a great start, with the second-best record in the NBA at 31-12 and are currently sitting in second place in the Western Conference. However, they have lost four of their last 10 games, a run that's overlapped with Thompson's return.
When asked what his message was to Thompson, point guard Steph Curry responded to the "The Athletic" by saying that his "Splash Brother" has lots of time to find his rhythm. Curry suggested that Thompson knows that crunch time in the NBA is only in April, May and June, which is around the postseason.
“Two and a half years is such a long time between games. He can still shoot the ball, still crazy competitive and understands the long game. It’s only been a few games. For him to understand he’s going to get back to the player he is in due time … he knows April, May and June is what it’s all about. I can’t wait to see it.”
Steph Curry’s message to Klay Thompson?
There’s no pressure.
“He knows April, May and June is what it’s all about. I can’t wait to see it.”
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Thompson has been out for so long that it is understandable that it will take some time before he is back to being the same player who dropped 30 points in Game 6 of an NBA Finals. What matters for the Warriors is the end of the season and the playoffs, and if Klay Thompson can be closer to being his usual self when that comes around, the Warriors will be a strong favorite to win it all.
How has Klay Thompson played so far?
Klay Thompson has started in all four of the games he's been available to play, logging just 20.8 minutes per game. Although he has been put on a minutes restriction, it doesn't negate the fact that he has not shot the basketball efficiently when he has been on the court.
Thompson is averaging 13.8 points while taking 14 shots per game and shooting 36% from the field. Thompson is also averaging seven three-point attempts per game while also shooting 36% from beyond the arc. For context, he has never shot below 40% from three in his career, and averages 46% from the field.
"I'm just so happy I can even look at the stat sheet and see my name there."
Klay Thompson recaps an emotional night in his return to action last Sunday.
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Missing two years of playing in the NBA has invariably taken its toll on Klay Thompson and he is not the player we remember at the moment. However, we all know how dominant a shooter Thompson has been throughout his career and he has even shown flashes this season, putting up 17 points with three threes in his first game back.
When Klay Thompson does eventually start to find his feet with this competitive Warriors team that has playoff aspirations, it could prove to be a scary sight for the rest of the league.