“They don’t need him like the pre-KD Warriors, they’ve found Jordan Poole” - David Jacoby says he’s concerned about Klay Thompson’s form, believes Celtics can’t let ‘Game 6 Klay’ come in
Klay Thompson has struggled for the Golden State Warriors in the first two games of the NBA Finals.
He has shot only 10 of 33, including 4 of 15 from 3-point range, against the Boston Celtics. Despite his issues, the Dubs offense has been functioning well.
While giving his analysis on the Warriors' run, David Jacoby shared an interesting take on Thompson. The broadcaster gave huge credit to Jordan Poole and Andrew Wiggins' contributions to the offense. He believes Thompson does not need to be as explosive as he used to be, thanks to the pair's emergence.
Jacoby said on ESPN's "This Just In":
"I'm concerned about Klay, right? He is not the old Klay. We don't see the step. He's not getting past people on the drives. He's not knocking down. However, this also isn't the old Warriors. They don't need him like the pre-KD Warriors.
"They've found Jordan Poole, who can create his own shot. And they have Andrew Wiggins on the wing who can contribute. So they don't need the production from Klay like they needed him in the previous iterations of this dynasty."
Klay Thompson is averaging 19.1 points per game in the playoffs. Although his shooting numbers have not been as impressive as they were previously, he has had a few big games.
The closeout games against the Memphis Grizzlies and Dallas Mavericks were a testament to his ability to deliver on the biggest stage.
David Jacoby believes that even with his struggles, Klay Thompson is still dangerous if he gets into rhythm. He said:
"You mentioned earlier, don't let this go to a Game 6 and let Game 6 Klay come. We saw what happened in the previous two series. Like we're all saying, 'Are we concerned about Klay?' But guess what? He can just pop up and score 30 easy."
Klay Thompson returned to the court after a lot of struggles. He suffered two gruesome injuries but came out on top with perseverance.
With a chance to win his fourth NBA championship, Thompson will certainly be looking to get back to being at his best. He has proven that he can still be effective, but it will be interesting to see how he tackles Boston's resolute defense.
Can the Golden State Warriors get the best out of Klay Thompson in the NBA Finals?
Klay Thompson scored 15 and 11 points in Games 1 and 2 against the Boston Celtics, respectively. These are important contributions, but for a player playing in his sixth finals, a lot more is expected of him.
The Celtics have done a great job in preventing Thompson from getting easy shots. Even though he has had a few good looks, the energy it takes to get to the spot seems to weaken his shot.
With him not firing, a lot of the offense has come from Steph Curry, Jordan Poole and Andrew Wiggins. However, on a good day, Thompson can torment defenses with his shooting.
Coach Steve Kerr will try to draw more plays for him to get going. He has an elite off-the-ball movement, but since coming back from injury, he has struggled to fight off all those screens.
The Golden State Warriors will certainly need Thompson's help as they play on the road for the next two games.
Having endured a lot to get back to the finals, Thompson definitely wants to end the season on a high note. His eyes are set on the trophy, and he will be looking to bring out his best for the Warriors to win the championship.