Is Klay Thompson playing tonight against Utah Jazz? 4x NBA champion's status explored for preseason game (Oct. 10)
After playing in 11 seasons with the Golden State Warriors, Klay Thompson is set to begin a new chapter in his NBA career with the Dallas Mavericks this coming season. The team is scheduled to face the Utah Jazz on Thursday in one of their final three preseason games. Thompson didn't play in the squad's previous outing Monday against the Memphis Grizzlies.
Mavericks coach Jason Kidd talked about the plan to play the four-time NBA champion in the team's final three preseason matchups, as per Noah Weber. Klay Thompson is expected to play tonight at Dallas' American Airlines Center with a 5 p.m. (Pacific Time) tip-off.
Thompson signed a three-year, $50 million deal in this year's offseason to band forces with Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving. It was a move that required a three-team trade to take place, resulting in a sign-and-trade that sent Josh Green to the Hornets and Golden State securing two second-round picks.
Last season, the former Warriors guard put up 17.9 points (43.2% shooting, including 38.7% from beyond the arc), 3.3 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game. His shotmaking efficiency was down compared to previous years where he established himself as one of the most efficient shooters in the league.
Klay Thompson talked about "adjusting" to Dallas Mavericks' offensive process
NBA fans are anticipating how Thompson will fit into the Dallas Mavericks this season. Ahead of the start, he talked about the adjustment needed on his end to fit with how the Mavericks run their offensive sets with Luka Doncic as the playmaker, as per ESPN's Tim MacMahon.
"From an X's and O's standpoint, I'll have to adjust to maybe playing off such good creators," Thompson said. "In Golden State, it was very motion-based offense. But I mean, just being able to play with Luka the last few days, his ability in the pick-and-roll is maybe the best I've seen."
Klay Thompson highlighted Doncic's ability to draw multiple defenders with his gravity on the floor, resulting in great looks on the five-time all-star's end:
"It'll be fun to play with him in those sets because he draws so much attention and he gets so many open looks for the perimeter. So I'll be there to knock them down."
Thompson is envisioned to further strengthen the team's spacing with his shotmaking ability from 3-point range. Aside from his offensive capabilities, he is also a quality defender in the shooting guard position.
How to watch Utah Jazz vs. Dallas Mavericks preseason game?
The Utah Jazz vs. Dallas Mavericks preseason game can be watched by NBA fans through the NBA League Pass.
The standard monthly package is priced at $16.99/month, while the standard season package is set to $109.99. Meanwhile, the premium monthly package is at $24.99/month, with the premium season package listed at $159.99.