Mavs coach Jason Kidd reacts as Klay Thompson tallies only 9 points vs Magic
When the Dallas Mavericks signed Klay Thompson to a three-year deal in the offseason, the expectation was for him to provide some offensive firepower behind Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving. While he had a great start shooting the ball in the first three games of the season, he has struggled in the past three, including during Dallas’ 108-85 win against the Orlando Magic on Sunday.
Thompson finished the game with nine points on 4-of-10 shooting, including 1 of 5 from beyond the arc. After the game, Mavericks coach Jason Kidd was asked about the former Warriors guard’s impact outside of shooting. Kidd said, via Noah Weber:
“I thought he played a great game. I know we look at him for scoring and shooting threes, but I thought his playmaking, his energy was high. He was moving on both ends at a very high level. I thought his defense was really good tonight.”
In his prime, Klay Thompson didn’t just shoot lights out, he was also a great two-way player who clamped down on the opposition’s best players on defense. While an ACL injury and an Achilles tear hampered his abilities a bit, he can still hold his own on the defensive end.
While Thompson struggled with efficiency on Sunday, he didn’t let the poor shooting get to him as he was dialed in with two blocks. He was +19 in 28 minutes and 36 seconds on the floor.
If the five-time All-Star can continue having an impact on the defensive end, the Mavericks will be better for it after having to let go of one of their defensive stalwarts Derrick Jones Jr. in the offseason.
Klay Thompson off to mixed start with new team
Klay Thompson made a mark in the league with four championship runs with the Golden State Warriors. So, when he left the franchise to join the Dallas Mavericks over the summer, it was only natural for fans to question his fit with a new team after spending 13 years in Golden State.
Those doubts were put to rest in the very first game as Thompson scored 22 points in a 120-109 win against the San Antonio Spurs on Oct. 24. He shot 7 of 13 from the floor and was particularly efficient from beyond the arc, going 6 of 10. He followed it up with five 3s against the Phoenix Suns and four 3s against the Utah Jazz.
He has, however, struggled in the past three games and has gone 5 of 21 from beyond the arc. He is shooting 37.03% from the 3-point line while averaging 14.5 points per game. While those are decent stats, they are nowhere near the numbers fans have come to expect of Klay Thompson.
However, it’s nothing new for the five-star All-Star to struggle to start the season and get into a groove as the year progresses. Mavericks fans will hope for the same in 2024-25 and beyond.