SAN FRANCISCO — For nine minutes on Sunday, Klay Thompson looked like an emerging candidate for NBA Sixth Man of the Year.
Coming off the bench for the fourth time since he was taken out of the starting lineup on Valentine’s Day, Thompson scored 21 points in his first nine minutes to put the Warriors ahead early against the Denver Nuggets.
It wasn’t enough, as Nikola Jokic continued his historic season to lead the Nuggets to a second-half comeback in a 119-103 win over the Warriors at Chase Center.
But it was another opportunity for Warriors coach Steve Kerr to nod his head in approval as he watched Thompson thrive in a bench role for the first time since his rookie season in 2011.
“His approach feels so much better than it was even a few weeks ago,” Kerr said.
A few weeks ago, Thompson sounded distraught. He was benched in closing time during a close win over the Brooklyn Nets and told reporters in New York he was struggling mentally.
“You kidding me? Go from, you know, one of the best players … it’s hard for anybody,” he told ESPN. “I’ll be honest with you. It’s very hard.”
It took him a few days to recenter himself. It wasn’t until the All-Star break that Thompson said he felt refreshed.
He’s played three games since, averaging just 13 points a game, but operating more mindfully around the floor, Steph Curry said.
“Even the game he only had three points (against the Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday), it was one of the better all around floor games he’s had,” Curry said. “He took what the defense gave him, took the shots he was supposed to shoot. Most of them didn’t go in but the way the game flows and how he gets his opportunities, he was always making the right play, playing great defense, got us some rebounds, extra possessions that way.”
And he’s still getting playing time. Off the bench, Thompson has averaged 27 minutes, only three minutes fewer than he was averaging as a starter.
“I never looked at coming off the bench as a demotion considering I’m still playing 25-30 minutes a night,” he said.
Sunday, Thompson replaced rookie Brandin Podziemski with 6:55 remaining in the first quarter and took over the game with some hot shooting from behind the arc. He buried four 3-pointers to help put the Warriors up, 36-30, after the first quarter.
With five points early in the second, Thompson had collected a stunning 21 points in just nine minutes of work.
The Warriors faded in the final minutes of the second quarter and were out-played completely in the third, but Thompson still finished the game with a team-high 23 points.
He started the game 5-for-8 from behind the arc, but went 0-for-5 to finish his night. Kerr said he felt the fast pace of the first half worked in Thompson’s favor, making it easier for him to get free.
Overall, Thompson is 9-for-25 (.360) from 3-point range since the All-Star break. On the season, he’s shooting a career-worst .372.
“This has been an emotional season for him,” Kerr. “You guys know this, he’s been grappling with his mortality in some ways as an athlete. He knows how good he was six years ago. He’s had a hard time reconciling everything after the injuries.
“The thing we keep trying to convince him of is that he’s still a hell of a player. And he’s at his best when he’s not pressing and he’s not stressed out, worried about trying to be the guy he was six years ago. I think coming off the bench has maybe helped in that regard. I just noticed he’s more relaxed. His approach, his leadership in the locker room, it feels different.”
According to ESPN, Thompson’s streak of 727 consecutive starts was the fourth-longest active streak in the NBA, trailing only Curry, DeMar DeRozan and Damian Lillard. That streak was snapped following a 4-for-14 performance against the Los Angeles Clippers on Feb. 14 that sank Thompson’s overall shooting percentage to a career-worst .415.
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At 34 years old, Thompson is the same age as San Antonio Spurs legend Manu Ginobili when he retreated to a full-time bench role for the final seven years of his Hall of Fame career. Thompson has said he’s looked to Ginobili’s career to inspire him.
So far, so good.
“It all comes from understanding that no matter if it’s a starting role, bench role, whatever it is, he’s still Klay Thompson and he can come in and do exactly what he did tonight,” Curry said Sunday.
Most importantly, he needs to “not let the narratives consume him,” Curry said. “That’s when he’s at his best.”
