However, the Warriors will likely look to play with more intensity and focus on meeting their goal of making the NBA Finals again and defending their 2022 championship. That much is clear to four-time champion Klay Thompson (29 points), who noticed that Golden State “relaxed a bit more than we should have,”

“I think with Steph and [Andrew Wiggins] back, we probably relaxed a bit more than we should have,” Gy Thompson said, per ESPN. “We thought with them showing up; we’d just get the dub.”

Meanwhile, Curry and Wiggins are looking to regain their rhythm and swag. Chef Curry dropped 24 points on 8-22 shooting from the floor and 5-15 from beyond the arc. Wiggins contributed 10 points on 5-16 shooting and was noticeably looking to find that aggression and rhythm he had before he suffered his abductor strain and illness that took him out for over a month.

Curry said that he wasn’t thinking about his shoulder while he played and that he didn’t think his conditioning took much of a hit due to the 11 games he missed after suffering a shoulder issue on Dec. 14. He also believed that playing under a minute restriction made finding his rhythm back a little more complicated.

He noted that there was a level of pressure to play at a high level of play within a certain amount of time on the court. He tried to balance regaining his form while trying to play within the flow of the game and said that his first game back was “hit or miss” as he tried to knock the rust off and play within the speed of the game.

“It’s hit or miss with how much rust you will have and how close you can get to the speed of the game,” Curry said. “The first quarter, it felt good just to be out there, running with our guys. I felt like I got stronger as the game went on. In the fourth, the intensity of the game picked up. We were playing very desperately, trying to come back and make some plays. I felt like myself again.”

The Warriors were encouraged by their play in the fourth quarter when they outscored the Suns 34-27 as they climbed back into the game as Curry scored 14 points in the final frame. The two-time MVP hit three consecutive triples to give the Warriors some momentum, then Jordan Poole (27 points) hit a layup, the Dubs got a stop, and Poole hit a three-pointer to pull Golden State to within six after trailing by 27.

“I’m hoping that fourth quarter was the team that I have come to know and love and recognize,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr said. “But we have to show in the first quarter, not in the fourth quarter.”

At the halfway point of the season, Kerr and the Warriors hope they can consistently play as they did in the fourth quarter. They have another 41 games left in the season to see if that’s who they are or if this Jekyll and Hyde type of season is who they are.

“We’ve been talking about it for a long time,” Curry said. “Eventually, you have to do it, or else time runs out. We have 41 games to figure it out — or else we won’t.”

The post Stephen Curry on His Return to Play and Regaining His Rhythm appeared first on SLAM.

 The five-time All-Star showed he’s another step closer to reaching those peak performances after dropping 54 points on 21-39 shooting from the field, 10-21 from the three-point line, leading the Warriors to a 143-141 double-overtime against the Hawks.

“It’s a huge accomplishment for me,” Thompson said per ESPN. “There were some hard days for me when I didn’t know that this would be possible in real-time. I am just going to embrace the heck out of it.”

Klay in the Warriors 2-OT win!

54 PTS
7 REB
10 threes pic.twitter.com/CdOB2SqCaT

— NBA (@NBA) January 3, 2023

The 54-point outing was his biggest scoring out since his career-best 60-point performance in three quarters on Dec. 5, 2016, against the Indiana Pacers. It was Thompson’s fourth career 50-point game and his seventh with at least 10 3s

“He just made shot after shot and play after play. He was incredible,” Golden State coach Steve Kerr said.

After a prime-time performance like that, Thompson’s confidence will likely be at an all-time high. It’s the type of performance that can also set up some great things in 2023. Great news for a team looking to reverse their fortunes and make a run for a higher seed in the playoffs. However, teammate Draymond Green doesn’t want Thompson to not place too much pressure on himself.

“You don’t have to be the same Klay that you once were before,” Green said. “When you understand that, and you buy into that, then you become the Klay you were before.”

“When you’re as competitive as he is when you’re as good as he is, it’s tough sometimes,” Green said. “For two years, everybody is doubting you. That same fire toward that doubt is what made you, Klay Thompson — you don’t just lose that. That is embedded in you. It’s good to see him settle down. He’s not chasing it anymore, and it’s falling right in his lap. When you are that good, that’s usually what happens.”

Fourth career 50-point game.
Klay Thompson balled out last night.

» https://t.co/ocDF2EHeJH pic.twitter.com/anzqUguZj1

— VoteDraymond4AllStar (@warriors) January 3, 2023

Thompson says he’s in a place now than at the start of the season. The 32-year-old sharpshooter told reporters that wanting to prove everyone wrong was a disservice to himself, and now he has to remind himself that playing for the Warriors “is a dream” and that he’s shifted his mindset to “having fun and playing hard.”

“I have to remind myself daily that [playing for the Warriors] is literally the dream. What matters most is having fun and playing hard. All the numbers, all the big nights will come as long as I do those two things.”

The Warriors and Klay Thompson will play the Pistons on Wednesday.

The post Steve Kerr Calls Klay Thompson ‘Incredible’ After 54-Point Performance appeared first on SLAM.

Golden State outlasted Memphis 123-119 due to Jordan Poole’s magical 32-point outing helping make Ja Morant’s 36-point effort mute. The win was highlighted by some heated jaw-jacking between the Warriors and Grizzlies, particularly between teammates Klay Thompson (24 points, nine rebounds, four assists) and Draymond Green (13 rebounds, 13 dimes, two blocks, one steal) and Grizzlies swingman Dillon Brooks.

#NBAXmas was a vibe.@MichelobULTRA || Joy Cam pic.twitter.com/N4sPUkAExM

— Golden State Warriors (@warriors) December 26, 2022

At one point, Thompson hit a mid-range J from the free-throw line to put the Dubs up 16, and while he ran back to play defense, Brooks stumbled backward and fell. Replays showed Thompson leaning over Brooks and sticking his tongue out in Brooks’ face as he shuffled back to the other end of the court.

“Some good, old-fashioned trash talk,” Thompson said per ESPN. “It’s always fun to talk trash. We’ve been doing that since we were in middle school. You usually play your best, or you get frazzled. For me, it’s usually the former.”

Get hype, #DubNation pic.twitter.com/0Ao8iD1njD

— Golden State Warriors (@warriors) December 26, 2022

Although the Warriors and Grizzlies may not call it a rivalry, it’s hard not to call it with all the evidence in front of us. The contention started after the Grizzlies outlasted the Warriors during the 2021 play-in tournament to get a first-round matchup with the Utah Jazz. The following year, the Warriors beat the Grizzlies 4-2 in the second round of the Western Conference semifinals.

That playoff rematch lit the flames of a burgeoning rivalry as Green got ejected in Game 1 for a Flagrant 2 foul on Brandon Clarke, and then he got elbowed in the eye during Game 2.

Brooks earned a one-game suspension for his role Gary Payton II missed extensive time after he fouled Payton hard on a fast break resulting in Payton suffering an elbow injury that knocked him out of 10 postseason games. The damage only seemed to stoke some flames as Warriors head coach Steve Kerr called Brooks out for violating an unwritten code.

From there, the second-round playoff series only got more heated and physical as Golden State tried to prove the old grizzled (no pun intended) vets had some juice left in them and could outlast the young and hungry Grizzlies. Once the series was over and Golden State marched on to win their fourth title in eight seasons, the Warriors, specifically Thompson and Green, took offense to Memphis talking trash and called them out for what they perceived to be disrespectful comments.

Way to bring the energy tonight, #DubNation

pic.twitter.com/pFXTGubWTj

— Golden State Warriors (@warriors) December 26, 2022

After the championship parade, Green and Morant had a back-and-forth on Twitter, with both parties declaring their excitement for a primetime Christmas. The anticipation and hype did not fail as the Dubs and Grizzlies put on a show. However, the Grizzlies will have to wait a little longer to exact their revenge after losing on Sunday.

The post The Memphis-Golden State Rivalry Continued with ‘Trash Talk’ on Christmas Day appeared first on SLAM.

However, the two threes that Thompson hit moved him into some very elite NBA company. Coming off a recent game where he had just moved up to 13th in the NBA’s all-time made three-pointers list, Thompson is also the 13th NBA player ever to make 2,000 career three-pointers.

Thompson now joins Stephen Curry, Ray Allen, Reggie Miller, James Harden, Kyle Korver, Vince Carter, Jason Terry, Jamal Crawford, Damian Lillard, LeBron James, Kyle Lowry, and Paul Pierce as the only NBA players ever to accomplish such a milestone.

Becoming a part of such an elite group of sharpshooters must feel great to Thompson after battling his way back to form after suffering an Achilles injury in 2020 after just returning from an ACL injury in 2019.

This 2023 season has been sort of a “revenge tour” for Thompson, as he has trying to block out the noise and prove to the doubters that he’s still got it. Admittedly Thompson has come out and said that comments about his game “slipping” have hurt, but he knows that he can’t please everybody.

While it is a great career moment for Thompson, he and the Warriors look to get back on the winning track Thursday against the Indiana Pacers.

The post Klay Thompson Becomes the 13th NBA Player to Knock Down 2K Threes appeared first on SLAM.

The coolest MFer in the NBA scored 28 points on 8-16 from three, reaching 13,000 career points and catapulting himself into the No. 13 spot on the all-time made 3-pointers list. Thompson passed Jason Kidd and Dirk Nowitzki with a total of 1,989 threes. 

“Grew up loving both those guys, especially Dirk because he’s a shooter and JK, just as a baller, Bay legend,” Thompson told reporters per Yahoo. “So yeah, it means a lot to me. I don’t take that for granted. Two of the all-time greats right there, so that means a lot to me.”

After missing consecutive seasons with a torn Achilles and ACL, the Golden State guard has been vocal about how his appreciation of the game has grown. Fellow Splash Bro and all-time made three-pointer king Stephen Curry echoed Thompson and expressed his hope that more people stop to appreciate the milestone.

Rather than taking Thompson’s shooting for granted and calling this moment just “a matter of time,” Curry wants fans to understand that “just being able to play these games after what he’s been through is amazing and something that you shouldn’t just gloss over,” Curry hopes Thompson continues to climb up the list.

“There will be a lot of respect for him as a shooter, him as a clutch guy, to knock it down no matter where he’s at. He set a high standard for what shooting the basketball is in today’s game.”

Let’s enjoy and appreciate Thompson’s milestone with a few clips of shooting beauty:

The post Lucky 13’s: Klay Thompson Climbs Up All-Time Made Three-Pointers List in Warriors Loss appeared first on SLAM.

ICYMI: 

Most of the fireworks on Friday night happened in Houston in an absolute shoot-out between the Rockets and Atlanta Hawks. Trae Young and Dejounte Murray combined for 83 points, but it wasn’t enough. After leading by as much as 16 points in the third quarter, Atlanta squandered the lead, and the Rockets surged late to capture their fourth win of the season, 128-122.

Despite Murray scoring a career-high 39 points and making a career-high eight threes, the Hawks couldn’t get the job done. A big reason for this was their performance on the boards in the absence of Clint Capela, who was out due to dental pain. Houston outrebounded Atlanta 59-28. This included a 22-6 drubbing on the offensive boards and a 37-22 advantage on the defensive boards.

Most of the headlines after the game were about the aftermath of a third-quarter scrum between each team’s respective backcourt. Young and Murray did plenty of showboating on the way to scoring a combined 83 points, and you get the sense that Green and Kevin Porter Jr. didn’t like it one bit. Green and Porter took to Instagram to mock Young following the game. Green waved goodbye to the Hawks after their 18-point fourth quarter. 

Ja Morant messed around and dropped a triple-double in Madison Square Garden, dropping 27 points, 10 rebounds, and 14 dimes. He’s been highly productive during Desmond Bane, who suffered a sprained big toe injury on Nov. 15 and won’t be back for at least another week.

Postgame, Morant credited New York Knicks point guard and Chicago/Memphis legend Derrick Rose for paving the way for hyper-athletic guards by saying; 

“He really made it to where people believe in guys like me,” Morant told the Commercial Appeal. “Coming in, athletic guards, I felt like he was pretty much the one who kind of made it more famous. With how acrobatic his finish is, his touch around the rim, and how explosive he was. Coming in, he was my comparison. It’s crazy to be out there on the floor sharing a court with him.”

Klay Thompson was off to a rough start on the offensive side of the ball to begin the season, but he’s beginning to get on track. He shot 61.5 percent from the field in Sunday’s win over the Minnesota Timberwolves. Golden State scored 47 points in the first quarter and never really looked back. They had crisp offensive execution the entire game. 

The Boston Celtics continued their winning ways. They have won 12 of their last 13 games. They are a League-best 16-4 on the season. Jaylen Brown had 36 points in their most recent win sans Jayson Tatum against the Washington Wizards. The Celtics are poised for a return to the NBA Finals if they keep playing the way they’re playing. 

Kyrie Irving, Kevin Durant, and the Brooklyn Nets are now only a single game under .500 following their 111-97 win against the Trail Blazers on Sunday night. Seth Curry was a big factor in the win against his former squad, with 29 points on 11-15 shooting. 

Sacramento Kings guard De’Aaron Fox has been playing out of his mind and is turning some heads. Fox has been shooting a career-high 53 percent from the field, helping him average 25.1 points per game, 4.9 rebounds, and 6.1 assists per game.

Fox has the Kings sitting in sixth place in a jammed Western Conference with a record of 10-8. Fox’s play has been so good that this past weekend, he inked a deal with one of the biggest and most well-known sports agencies in basketball Klutch Sports. For Sacramento, Fox’s recent play and lead role in the Kings’ resurgence could be just what the team needs to end their 16-year playoff drought.

The Kings have the talent and youth to be very disruptive if given a postseason opportunity. The team’s additions of Kevin Huerter and Malik Monk (in addition to Fox’s play) have been a great fit. Hopefully, Fox and the team can continue this momentum.

Over the weekend, the Lakers played the San Antonio Spurs for the third time in their last four games. During the third quarter of Saturday’s game, Russell Westbrook was going up for a layup after previously grabbing a rebound and was fouled on the way up by Spurs center Zach Collins. When Westbrook rose up from the ground heated from the foul, you could see that he had a cut and was visibly bleeding from his forehead.

The two teams got together for what seemed like a couple of seconds after the foul, but everyone was calmly escorted to their respective benches. Westbrook, who was fuming for a good reason, was taken away by LeBron James, who quickly compressed Westbrook’s head wound with a towel and walked him over to the bench to be further examined by the Lakers team doctors.

Once the situation calmed down, a Flagrant 2 foul was given the Collins, and a tech was given to Westbrook. Postgame, James commented on the altercation, saying;

“I saw where the cut was immediately. It was just common sense to put pressure on the cut right away. Don’t let it continue to go. Before we became teammates, we’ve always been like brothers and cool and things of that nature. His health is more important than the game of basketball. We were just trying to stop that and let the training staff do their job after we got him over to the bench.”

Miami center Bam Adebayo has had a quiet yet phenomenal stretch over the Heat’s last six games averaging 25.5 points per game and 10.2 rebounds on 52 percent shooting from the field. However, in Adebayo’s last two games, he has scored over 30 points and has been a key contributor toward the end of games on both the defensive and offensive sides.

The Heat are currently on a three-game win streak led by Adebayo’s diverse and consistent play, and the team looks to carry that momentum into their Wednesday matchup with the 2022 Eastern Conference Champion Celtics. 

QUOTE OF THE WEEKEND:

Ja Morant’s father asked for his son’s jersey for the first time in Morant’s career. Morant stated that it was “special” for him to get a triple-double in the Garden and that it was a place that he always had a special feeling for.

Morant admitted after Sunday’s game that MSG was special for him to have a triple-double since it was a place he watched in so many games on television as a kid — which was why his father made the unusual request for his jersey.

“It’s just the bright lights, man,” Morant told ESPN post-game. “Having a triple-double in the Garden is crazy. Growing up actually watching teams come here and play, watching the Knicks play — everybody loves the Garden. We really called it the bright lights. Everybody is watching. So for me to be able to go out and play like I played tonight was big-time for me.”

The post ICYMI: We Got You Covered With Thanksgiving Weekend News appeared first on SLAM.

ICYMI:

Stephen Curry dropped an impressive 33 points and a season-high 15 assists (one shy of his career-high) on 11-12 shooting from the field, 7-14 from long distance. Curry hit the below triple to give the Warriors an insurmountable nine-point lead and gave the Toyota Center his signature GTS celebration.

“I surprised myself with that shot,” Curry said, per ESPN. “Me and Draymond put our hands above our heads like we really won something, kind of making fun of ourselves for our slow start.”

Lol Stephen really different. (via @nba) pic.twitter.com/hFcJv1N1F1

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) November 21, 2022

Anthony Davis became the Laker in franchise history to record 30+ points and 15+ rebounds in three consecutive games, joining Elgin Baylor (17 streaks) and Shaquille O’Neale (two streaks). The Lakers also secured their fifth win of the season after dispatching the Spurs 123-92.

“AD, he has to be the focal point,” Lakers coach Darvin Ham said, per ESPN. “He has to spearhead the charge. That’s the way we’re built. He’s embraced it. When Bron gets back, if AD can sustain that level, we’re going to be as good as our preparation makes us.”

@AntDavis23 put up another MONSTER double-double in the @Lakers win!

30 PTS | 18 REB | 3 STL pic.twitter.com/0seK32EUc2

— NBA (@NBA) November 21, 2022

Trae Young (33 points and 12 assists) and AJ Griffin (17 points and five board) executed one of the more creative game-winning buckets in recent memory with this ally-oop game-winner to beat the Toronto Raptors on Sunday 124-122.

“I was in the right place at the right time,” Griffin said, per ESPN. “I had a feeling they were going to pressure up. I saw it and broke early. I said, ‘I’ll just sneak up behind them.’ That’s exactly what happened.”

This is one of the best ran plays to win the game I’ve seen in a minute. (via @ATLHawks) pic.twitter.com/af4bUCchaL

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) November 20, 2022

Anthony Edwards dropped a stunning 25 points, five rebounds, and five assists in a 112-109 win over the 76ers. The three-point win is Minnesota’s third consecutive.

“We took a lot of bad shots, I definitely did, but we got the win, though,” Edwards said of a 7-of-21 effort.

Anthony Edwards vs Philly last night:

25 points
5 rebounds
5 assists.

Too good. (via @Timberwolves) pic.twitter.com/oHZAJE44Bn

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) November 20, 2022

Bol Bol posted 22 points, 11 boards, and two blocks during Orlando’s 114-113 loss to the Pacers on Saturday. During the second quarter, Bol went into his bag tricks to score a tough layup over Pacers defensive anchor Myles Turner.

How do you even stop this? (via @OrlandoMagic) pic.twitter.com/EXIdRfJfAH

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) November 20, 2022

Quote of the Weekend

Klay Thompson pulled up to Houston with some bad intentions after dropping a season-high 41 points on 10 triples to help Golden State secure their first road game of the season. The Warriors lost eight road games in a row heading into Sunday’s contest, a first during the most successful era in franchise history.

Thompson exorcised some demons hanging around during a slow start to the season that has led to many around the League saying Thompson’s best days are behind him. On Sunday, he proved that wrong and let it be known that “it’s only up from here.”

“It feels amazing. I’m hard on myself, so I’ve been wanting one of these. And to get one and kind of open the floodgates, it’s only up from here. I promise you,” Thompson said in his postgame interview. “I finally feel like myself. My legs feel great. I’m cutting to the rim, taking great shots, and I’m just excited for what’s to come. Man, I’m not gonna lie, guys, that felt amazing. Wow. I don’t care if it’s a mid-November game. That felt great.

@KlayThompson WENT WILD in the @warriors win! He went off for 20 PTS in Q1 on his way to a season-high 41 PTS and 10 triples! #DubNation

41 PTS
10 3PM (10-13) pic.twitter.com/qHWVlFTE9d

— NBA (@NBA) November 21, 2022

The post ICYMI: Here’s What Happened Across the League Over the Weekend appeared first on SLAM.

The defending champs have heard all the noise, and last night, one player, in particular, stepped up and gave us an offensive performance for the ages. Warriors shooting guard Klay Thompson had a vintage shooting performance last night versus the Houston Rockets on the road.

Thompson dropped 41 points on 14-23 shooting from the field, which included 10 threes! It was an absolutely unconscious offensive performance, the likes of which many basketball fans have missed from him. Not only was this a huge win and boost for Thompson’s confidence, but his supernova night helped to snap Golden State’s eight-game road losing streak.

Thompson has had to overcome some major injuries over the past few NBA seasons, from a torn Achilles and ACL. So when hearing that, some people thought his game was slipping coming back this season after fighting for two seasons to get back hurt.

In a postgame interview with CBS Sports following the Warriors’ win, Thompson had this to say about his night:

“It feels amazing. I’m hard on myself, so I’ve been wanting one of these. And to get one and kind of open the floodgates, it’s only up from here. I promise you,” Thompson said in his postgame interview. “I finally feel like myself. My legs feel great. I’m cutting to the rim, taking great shots, and I’m just excited for what’s to come. Man, I’m not gonna lie, guys, that felt amazing. Wow. I don’t care if it’s a mid-November game. That felt great.”

Shout out to Klay Thompson, a true warrior; the game has missed you!

The post Klay Thompson’s Big Night Helps Golden State Secure Their First Road Win appeared first on SLAM.

The 2022-23 campaign was supposed to be a referendum on the Warriors successfully fulfilling their dual timeline of focusing on winning now while developing for the future after letting several key veterans walk away in free agency. The results early on feature the Warriors playing less than stellar on defense and their bench play struggling to maintain the leads that the starters built.

The unexpected losses come despite Stephen Curry playing up to his usual superstardom. Furthermore, there is no reason to write off the Warriors dynasty just yet. Especially when a defensive anchor like Green plays with all-time great shooters in Curry and Klay Thompson.

During the first 14 games out of the 82 game-season, Green believes the struggles couldn’t come at a better time, but the learning curve (through the wins and losses) must be addressed because of the difficulty in the profession.

“You’d rather have them sooner rather than later,” said Green to The Athletic on the Warrior’s unexpected losses. “But in saying that, to build what we’re trying to build, we do understand that it takes time. —We’ve been in this position before, where we’ve had struggles and things that we needed to work on and that we had to fix.”

Defense Offense pic.twitter.com/Ngr6zxOyQh

— Golden State Warriors (@warriors) November 15, 2022

Outside of the MVP-caliber play of Curry, the Warriors haven’t played to their’ Strengths in Numbers.’ The team’s leading rebounder, Kevon Looney, is averaging 6.9 rebounds a game, and as a team, they’re the 7th worst in the League in that category. Not to mention, they’re averaging the sixth most turnovers (15.7), and their five-time All-Star in Thompson has struggled to find his shooter’s touch.

Is age starting to be a factor for the Dubs? Head coach Steve Kerr indicated that was a possibility.

“We know this isn’t going forever,” said Kerr. “This could be the last year; maybe next year is the last year. We’re in the final stages. We know that.”

Basketball is a beautiful game.

@NBCSAuthentic pic.twitter.com/XumncvBDX9

— Golden State Warriors (@warriors) November 15, 2022

The Warriors are currently four games behind the Western Conference’s top seed. Although the playoff picture isn’t the current thought of the team, Green uses the record of his rival opponents to motivate the group towards reaching the throne they have been accustomed to seeing in four of the last seven years.

“In the West, I was looking at the other day, and it’s like no one has stood out,” said Green. “It’s right there for us. If we get ourselves together, which we will, it’s right there for us.”

The post Draymond Green On Having Golden State Struggle ‘Sooner Rather Than Later’ appeared first on SLAM.

The other half of the legendary Splash Bros has been going through a tough start to begin the season. However, Thompson believes that that shouldn’t discredit the four championships he’s contributed to the team and his legacy as one of the greatest shooters of all time.

11th pick in the 2011 NBA Draft
Grew up in the 11th house on 11 Lane
K is the 11th letter in the alphabet
Wears number 11

11.11 || @KlayThompson pic.twitter.com/OzZTyxSEEf

— Golden State Warriors (@warriors) November 11, 2022

He’s currently averaging the lowest points per game since his rookie season (12.5) at 14.7. The 20 points per night that NBA fans are accustomed to seeing for years has come in the way of his red-hot three-point shooting or his point totals at the foul line. This season, however, Thompson is shooting career lows in both statistical categories; his three-point percentage currently rides at 33 percent, while his free throw shooting takes a significant drop to 75 percent.

Doubters will have a field day with numbers like this, but there’s plenty of hoop action for Thompson to redeem where his strengths are.

“You just can’t please everybody,” Thompson said in an interview with Bleacher Report. “But for myself individually, it’s about rediscovering that form of efficiency and that two-way play that made me great. And I feel like I’m well on my way there.”

It wouldn’t be the first time Thompson plans on shutting the critics down. On Jan. 9, when he returned to action after two seasons missed due to a torn Achilles and ACL, Thompson dropped 14 points on the Cleveland Cavaliers, showing promise that the injury did not hold him back. The five-time All-Star played a pivotal role in Golden State advancing to their sixth NBA Finals since 2015.

The Warriors ultimately won the 2022 NBA Finals after beating the Celtics in six games. Despite winning his fourth title after an arduous journey just to get back to the hardwood sanctuary, Thompson believes that his injuries weren’t accounted for enough in their title victory.

“Yeah, that’s true, but I feel like I deserve more credit for battling through all that injury s—,” said Thompson. “I helped a team win a championship last year, and people still want to discredit what you do.”

An 82-game season has its ways of bringing the lows of a player, but for Thompson, his Hall-of-Fame career can be a testament to how quickly he can flip the script on his struggles. In doing so, the Dubs may be competing in mid-June once more for a back-to-back title, solidifying the greatest dynasty of the new generation.

“On the bright side, I’m happy to go through this now compared to a few months from now,” said Thompson. “I have no doubt in my mind I’ll get back to form; I was there last year. We won a championship – The proof is in the pudding. But there’s one more thing I’ll say: You can’t take away the hardware.”

The post Klay Thompson Addresses the Latest Backlash Towards Him and the Warriors appeared first on SLAM.

Despite the alarming losses and their incomplete defensive performances thus far, Steve Kerr isn’t pushing the panic button just yet.

“There are times in the NBA season when things can go off the rails a little bit,” Kerr said, per ESPN. “A big part of being a great team, being a solid organization, is just understanding how to work through that.”

Last season, the Warriors had a 2-9 slump that stretched from February to March, but they went on to win the championship a few months later. Things change quickly in the NBA. 

Draymond Green said a few days ago that the Warriors can’t fix all their problems right now, but they need to zero in on their biggest ones. At the moment, the biggest problem is the defense. The Warriors rank 25th in the NBA in points per shot allowed in transition and 23rd in field goal percentage allowed in transition, according to Second Spectrum tracking. Last season, they allowed the lowest field goal percentage in transition.

Golden State is also 24th in defensive rebounding after being sixth last year.

The Warriors Dynasty has had its fair share of ups and downs (mainly ups), but it is reasonable to surmise that they will bounce back and reclaim their excellence. 

“We just need to bring more of a sense of urgency,” Thompson said. “We had a long run last year, but 2022 is over. It’s time to kick into high gear and play that championship level of basketball that we’re used to. I fully expect us to do that.”

The Warriors, just like every other NBA team, will play tonight and get a chance to end their losing streak. 

The post Steve Kerr Believes the Warriors Will Bounce Back From 5-Game Losing Streak appeared first on SLAM.

The one thing that got the legendary shooter out of character were some recent comments Charles Barkley made suggesting Thompson’s game was “slipping” despite it being less than a year since he returned from a torn achilles. Unprompted, Thompson addressed those critics after the Warriors beat the Miami Heat, 123-110, on Thursday night.

“I’ve got one thing to say,” Thompson said. “So, it hurts when someone like Charles Barkley, with the platform that he has, says you’re not the same player prior to the injuries you had. It’s like ‘No, duh, man.’ Consecutive years, like. I tore my ACL and Achilles in consecutive years and still helped the team win a championship. It hurt hearing that because I put so much freaking effort to get back to this point. It’s hard to even put into words what I had to do to be the player I am today.

“I played 55, 57 games in three years. Give me some freaking time to get that back. To hear someone say ‘Oh, he’s not the same player as he was prior to the injuries.’ Like, duh. Who goes through that and comes back…I don’t know, it just hurt my heart hearing that. But you know, I’m going to internalize it and it’s going to be fuel for me to be even better. I’m very proud of what we accomplished last year and I feel like I was a huge part of it. I’m not going to let these injuries be a crutch for me. I’m just going to keep going and I’m going to have a great year. You can bet on that.”

Thompson cont.: "I played 57 games in three years. Give me some freaking time to get that back. Who goes through something like that and comes back — it just hurt my heart. But I’m going to internalize it and it’s going to be fuel for me." https://t.co/VnhRTy7atz

— Kendra Andrews (@kendra__andrews) October 28, 2022

Barkley’s comments came after Thompson was ejected for the first time in his career during the third quarter of a blowout loss to the up-and-coming Phoenix Suns. Thompson and Devin Booker were jaw-jacking during a tension-filled third quarter that featured the Suns and Warriors drawing a record-tying seven technical fouls in one quarter.

During halftime of the nationally televised Warriors-Suns game, Barkley suggested that Thompson and Draymond Green are “slipping” and suggeseted that “Father Time is knocking on the door of a couple of those guys.” The comments come during a time when Coach Steve Kerr and the Warriors medical staff placed the four-time champs on a minute restriction to start the season.

On Tuesday, Thompson responded with season-high numbers nearly across the stat sheet. The five-time All-Star posted 19 points on 6-19 shooting from the field and 5-14 shooting from beyond the arc in 29 minutes, all season-high marks for Thompson.

“It’s so great and it’s a huge building block for me” Thompson said about his workload. “It’s the best I’ve feld conditioning-wise.”

Thompson on playing a season-high 29 minutes: "It's so great and it's a huge building block for me. It's the best I've felt conditioning-wise."

— Kendra Andrews (@kendra__andrews) October 28, 2022

When Stephen Curry was asked about Thompson’s postgame reponse, he noted that his Splash Brother was in a good mood all day long, but believes that Barkley’s remarks fueled Thompson to put on his 19-point performance.

“The comments are part of our success, like you’re always going to be in a spotlight and people care about how you’re playing and care to comment positively or negatively because they know that will move the needle,” Curry told reporters after the win Thursday. “And when you say certain names, people are going to pay attention. But it’s interesting because certain guys forget what their careers looked like on the back end. So you can kind of cast and throw those stones but Klay’s still in here, like you said, helping us win a championship after the two hellish years that he had.

“And now, it’s just balancing, for him, the expectations of what he was before the injuries and what he can get back to, all the while maintaining his impact on winning. I’m sure he’s comparing to the stat lines and percentages and all that, but I think I heard coach [Steve Kerr] talk about it earlier. He’s gone through this, even before the injuries, where slow starts don’t really hold him down, don’t kill his confidence. But when you come off a championship, you have such a hunger and a desire to get back to what he wants to be personally. And he’s going to get there. It’s just a matter of sticking with the program, the time that he puts in. His competitive fire that comes out every single night. And he’s going to make shots. We’re not worried about that. It’s a long season.”

Thompson, Green, and the Warriors will have another chance to dispute Barkley’s observations when they take on the Charlotte Hornets to start a five-game Eastern Conference road trip.

The post Klay Thompson ‘Hurt Hearing’ Comments That His Game Is ‘Slipping’ appeared first on SLAM.

There is nothing like a regular season NBA game with a playoff atmosphere, and basketball fans watching on television and in attendance got a real treat watching these two teams go at it so early in the season.

With the Warriors coming off yet another impressive championship run and a young seasoned Suns team on the rise knocking at the door trying to get back to the Finals, things got a bit heated between the two teams.

Can’t. Be. Stopped. @DevinBook with his 3rd straight 30-point game! pic.twitter.com/bFQdtuNsMC

— Phoenix Suns (@Suns) October 26, 2022

In the third quarter, Warriors legend Klay Thompson was ejected for the first time in his professional career after picking up two quick technical fouls. These techs were given after Thompson was seen visibly taunting the Sun’s bench and jawing back and forth with Suns guard Devin Booker.

In that third quarter alone, a record-tying seven technical fouls were given out between both teams in one quarter. Postgame, Stephen Curry had the following to say per ESPN in regard to Thompson getting tossed.

“After he got thrown out, he had a lot more to say, which I love,” Curry said. “The back and forth is a part of the game, and I like that he’s engaged in that respect because it matters to him.”

Curry added that since the Warriors are the defending champs, teams will try to come at them, especially on the road, to get their home crowd into it. Curry and the Warriors know they have a target on their back coming off their fourth championship win in the last seven years and that every team going against them will have something to prove.

When Dubs Coach Steve Kerr weighed in on Thompson’s ejection postgame, he downplayed the altercation, and talked about how D-Book and Thompson had a similar incident when Booker was first breaking into the League.

“He and Book have gotten into it a little bit over the years; they’re just competitors, both great players — I remember four or five years ago when Book was first coming up, Klay was in his prime, he went at it one night in Oracle, and the same type of thing happened,” Kerr said. “There were no ejections, but they’re both competitive, they’re guarding each other, and this is the NBA. Highest competition in the world, stuff like that happens.”

Suns Coach Monty Williams also downplayed Booker and Thompson’s interaction when spoke to the media after the game. Williams believes that the championship veteran Warriors will always bring the best out of an up-and-coming team like the Suns.

“I think both teams want it. I don’t think it’s personal at all. I think we respect them. They’re the champions,” Williams said. “So, they’re going to get our best because they are the best. So, I think a lot of the emotion is just about being competitive. We don’t take it personally at all; we just understand better that once all that stuff happens, we got to get back on focusing on being competitive and trying to win the game.”

When Booker said his two cents, the former Kentucky Wildcat said that he admires Thompson and that he’s trying to become a champion like his shooting guard contemporary.

“We’re just two competitors; I love Klay Thompson,” Booker said. “I have for a really long time. But it’s not going to excuse from us being competitive and talking to each other. I’ve always admired his game, how he plays on both ends of the ball. And obviously, the rings speak for themselves.”

Devin Booker spoke on the situation with Klay Thompson. Went on to say Klay was probably frustrated by the off night he was having and noted he kept going back to the 4 rings, which is what he wants pic.twitter.com/vInEsJcJnp

— Gerald Bourguet (@GeraldBourguet) October 26, 2022

This situation is not one that needs to be overanalyzed or blown out of proportion. It is just a simple case of two teams and two top players going at it; this is nothing new, especially in sports. We have all seen it repeatedly; it’s just basketball. At the end of the day, both teams and players have a great deal of respect for one another and will not let this deter them from accomplishing their true goal, a championship.

These two teams have two more matchups this season on November 16th and January 10th. If that first game did not make things clear enough, their next matchup is one that you do not want to miss!

The post Phoenix and Golden State Downplay Altercation Between Devin Booker and Klay Thompson appeared first on SLAM.

Right off the bat, Coach Steve Kerr has decided to put four-time champions Klay Thompson and Draymond Green on minute restrictions to start the campaign for conditioning. In the team’s season opener versus the Los Angeles Lakers, Thompson played only 20 minutes, while Green finished at 25.

Kerr told reporters that the two veterans’ that he thinks their minute restrictions will be lifted slowly to their normal regular season minute level in a “couple of weeks.” 

Jordan Poole and Andrew Wiggins will be expected to step up during the process. In fact, they did exactly that on Tuesday. Poole dropped 12 points and seven assists in 28 minutes, while Wiggins scored 20 points in 29 minutes.

The Warriors will take on the Nuggets on Friday for their second game of the season. Perhaps Thompson and Green will see a slight increase in their playing time then.

The post Steve Kerr Expects to Lift Klay Thompson and Draymond Green’s Minute Restriction Soon appeared first on SLAM.

Curry, arguably the greatest shooter of all time, has four titles under his name with a Finals MVP to back up his coveted career. The Warriors superstar believes there’s another teammate who was playing for the legacy he has submitted in Golden State.

In a recent interview with NBC Sports’ Kerith Burke, Curry remarks on the legacy of his longtime teammate, Andre Igoudala, who he believes was a significant contributor to the Warriors’ four titles and is a sure shot at the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

“Absolutely, I didn’t know that was much of a debate,” said Curry on Igoudala being labeled a Hall of Famer. “He’s kind of the mature vet that’s still putting up solid numbers but impacting winning at a level that is a difference maker.”

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Igoudala’s four championships with the Warriors may be underestimated by playing with Kevin Durant and Stephen Curry through the years. However, his defensive tenacity in the 2015 NBA Finals against LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers kicked off Golden States’ illustrious dynasty.

Igoudala scored 16.3 points, four assists, and 5.8 rebounds per game and won the 2015 Finals MVP. In that series, Curry and Thompson averaged 34.2 percent shooting from their three-point distance, but Igoudala’s heroics kept James shooting at 38.1 percent from the field when guarded by him.

Iggy is now in the later stages of his career. He rejoined the Dubs over the summer and averaged 4.0 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 3.7 assists per game during the regular-season. When it came down to the postseason, Coach Steve Kerr trusted the 38-year-old to play during the 2022 Finals. Iggy rewarded that trust by posting seven points and three assists during Game 1 and played spot duty the rest of the Finals as a 3-and-D wing.

“I hope there’s a keen eye part of just watching his career unfold,” said Curry. “Seeing the different iterations of himself that impact winning, that’s what it should be about.”

Igoudala enters his 19th season in the League, more importantly, his last go at defending a championship for the Warriors. The farewell tour starts against the Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday, Oct. 18, at Chase Center.

The post Stephen Curry Believes Andre Iguodala is ‘Absolutely’ An Hall of Famer appeared first on SLAM.

Wiggins has since brought the Larry O’Brien Trophy to Canada as he hosted youth camps in Vaughan and Mississauga. The 2022 All-Star returning to his hometown allowed him to prove to the kids attending his camp that when you believe in yourself and shut out the outside news, you can reap a lot of awards.

“I feel great,” Wiggins said per the Toronto Star. “There’s been a lot of ups and downs, a lot of people had counted me out, but to be back and … winning a championship? All the sacrifices, all the ups, and downs, all the stuff was worth it. It makes the story that much better.”

HOW'S THE AIR UP THERE WIGGS? (via @NBA) pic.twitter.com/dR3ehMFnft

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) June 14, 2022

It was a challenging and humbling lesson Wiggins learned as he went from being a volume scorer in Minnesota known for putting up empty calorie stats on losing teams. When he arrived in Golden State, Wiggins was able to thrive as the third star on a group headlined by Stephen Curry and Klay Thomspon.

Under the watchful eye of GM Bob Myers, Coach Steve Kerr, Curry, Thompson, and Draymond Green, Maple Jordan embraced being a two-way wing that could be relied on to get a bucket late in the shot clock while guarding the toughest perimeter threat.

“When I step on the court, I’ve always been confident in what I can do,” he said. “When I was in Minnesota, I put up numbers. But people said, ‘He put up numbers on a bad team.’ So, I go to Golden State, and I’m not scoring as much, but I’m doing a lot at a more efficient rate, so the whole world gets to see.”

Wiggs is so damn smooth.
(via @warriors) pic.twitter.com/T9unmLqnet

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) June 14, 2022

He played a pivotal role in guarding offensive threats like Luka Doncic, Ja Morant, and Jayson Tatum. He took on each assignment and won more than his fair share of battles, averaging 16.5 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 1.8 assists per game on 46.9 percent shooting from the field and 33.3 percent from beyond the arc.

“It’s been a different type of summer, but the best summer of my life,” he said. “It’s been amazing coming down here and feeling all this love and positivity. It’s been great. Just being able to bring the trophy back home to where it all started for me —— where all my friends and family are, that helped me get to the place where I’m at now.”

Wiggins hopes to come into the 2022-23 season with a freshly minted extension after carrying a significant two-way load last season. The Warriors will likely have to lean on Wiggins as they implement Moses Moody, Jonathan Kuminga, and James Wiseman into the lineup after they let several veterans walk away in free agency.

The post Andrew Wiggins Feeling ‘Great’ During ‘Best Summer’ of His Life appeared first on SLAM.

The eighth-year head coach identified Kevon Looney, Andrew Wiggins, Jordan Poole, Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green as the Warriors’ “foundational six,” with the latter three serving as the team’s established core.

Kerr believes Golden State’s core is among the best in the League, especially after adding the younger trio of Looney, Wiggins, and Poole to the mix.

“We have probably more continuity than anybody in the League with our core group,” Kerr said. “Add Wiggs and Jordan and the institutional knowledge they’ve gained, and we have a really strong foundation. That’s the most important thing you can have in this League.

“We had it going into last year. But the difference was, a year ago, we didn’t know if we were really contenders. That’s why the 18-2 start was so big. It reinforced it. This year, being defending champs, it doesn’t guarantee anything, but you have a confident sense in who you are. We have our main six guys back, the foundational six that we know are going to be on the court for big minutes every night. That allows us to bring our young guys along.”

The Dubs’ roster also features future stars such as Moses Moody, Jonathan Kuminga, and James Wiseman, all of whom Kerr claims “have shown really good signs.” Moody and Kuminga saw action in the playoffs during the Warriors’ Finals run last season (and also impressed in the most recent NBA Summer League), while Wiseman was sidelined due to injury.

The Warriors will have a lot to prove as they focus on their win-and-develop mindset. Their future success will be predicated on their young core of Moody, Kuminga, Wiseman, Poole, and Wiggins being able to successfully takeover once Golden State’s “foundational six” leave the Warriors.

Next season will be a different journey after the Warriors’ lottery-bound seasons but coming off a championship brings a different level of confidence. Furthermore, being able to get substantial contributions from Moody, Kuminga, and Wiseman on top of his “foundational six” next season, the future could hold another championship for Golden State.

“I don’t know that it’s a bigger challenge because last year felt like a huge challenge going in,” Kerr said. “Last year felt more daunting because we’d had two lousy seasons in a row. This year feels different because we’re the defending champs. It feels like we’ve got our groove back. We’ll have Klay back for a full season. Our foundation in place. While we’re absolutely going to play a lot of young guys, we kind of have a core six, a foundational six players who are really the ones that make everything happen and will allow us to bring the young guys along.”

Photos via Getty Images.

The post Steve Kerr on the ‘Strong Foundation’ the Warriors Have Built appeared first on SLAM.

After his first pitch, Curry was subsequently interviewed and asked about living in the Bay Area and wanting to stay with the Golden State Warriors for the entirety of his career.

“That was a really natural process actually for me,” Curry told NBC Sports Bay Area, “Cause like you said, I just finished my 13th year, and to be able to say I’ve played for one team my entire career, and also to say between the 10 years in Oakland and these last three years in San Francisco, I can honestly say how special this place is — Honestly, I don’t want to leave ever. I want this to be my one and only home, and even thinking about what happens after basketball is done.”

“I don’t want to leave ever. I want this to be my one and only home” – Steph on the Bay Area pic.twitter.com/aWHLidy8b1

— NBC Sports Bay Area & CA (@NBCSAuthentic) July 27, 2022

Curry signed a four-year max extension last summer and won’t hit the free agent market until 2026, when he’s 38-years-old. The happiness that will come with playing Golden State comes with one caveat; he wants to play out the final years of his career with the championship teammates that he’s gone to battle with for the last decade.

Curry reportedly wants Golden State’s front office to pay Draymond Green and Klay Thompson so they can play together, at least through the end of his current contract. The only problem is the luxury tax the Warriors will have to pay to keep Green, Thompson, Curry, Andrew Wiggins, and Jordan Poole on the team for the next three seasons. Green reportedly wants a max contract that, per multiple reports, could be in the four-year range.

The one thing that could keep the band together would be a player deciding to take a paycut. The Warriors are also in a win-and-develop mode right now as they focus on making the most out of Curry, Thompson, and Green’s remaining prime years while making sure that their young core of Poole, Moses Moody, Jonathan Kuminga, and James Wiseman get a chance to play and be thrown the fire of playing on a championship contender team.

The post Stephen Curry Wants Golden State ‘to Be His One and Only Home’ appeared first on SLAM.

To mitigate concerns with paying the League’s luxury tax, the Warriors decided to fully invest in their win-and-develop now mentality by letting their bench mob walk in free agency and relying on their young core to compliment their championship core of Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and Green. Green, in particular, is reportedly set to request a max extension from Joe Lacob and Bob Meyers, per Marcus Thompson of The Athletic.

Steph Curry would not be happy if the Warriors lost Draymond Green because the team didn’t want to pay him, sources tell @ThompsonScribe and @anthonyVslater.

Curry has a desire for Green and Klay Thompson to be with him for the length of his stay. https://t.co/watYncUTw5 pic.twitter.com/0UNi0mzImq

— The Athletic NBA (@TheAthleticNBA) July 27, 2022

Green has played a major role as the emotional leader and defensive anchor of Golden State’s championship teams. He’s also been a lightning rod for criticism from fans and national media for his trash-talking and physical play style. Be that as it may, Green has become the ultimate team player after winning four rings, winning the DPOY award in 2016, earning seven All-Defensive and two All-NBA team selections.

The former Michigan State Spartan is so integral to Golden State’s success that Curry would reportedly “not be happy” if the Dubs decide not to pay Green or Thompson, who is also eligible for an extension and can hit free agency in 2024.

Signing Green and Thompson to three-year deals would align their contracts with Curry, who is under contract until the summer of 2026. The critical factor will be who is most willing to take a pay cut to keep the band together and keep the Warriors championship window open for a few more seasons.

The post REPORT: Draymond Green Wants Max Extension Deal appeared first on SLAM.

The rest of Golden State’s core, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green could be seen dapping up and hugging each other, and 2015 Finals MVP and the first critical free-agent acquisition of the dynasty Warriors era, Andre Iguodala, joined in on the festivities too.

“This one is definitely different because of the three years of baggage we carried coming out of that Game 6 in 2019,” Curry said per Kendra Andrews of ESPN. “I can say it now; I don’t know how many teams could carry that as long as we have with the expectations of comparing us now to teams of past and make it to the mountaintop again.”

A brotherhood forged in GOLD pic.twitter.com/O65aUCMXHT

— NBA (@NBA) June 17, 2022

For Curry, Green, and Thompson, their fourth title in eight years felt a little different. It’s mainly because Golden State’s developed quite the chip on their shoulder since their kingdom collapsed following their 2019 Finals loss to the Raptors. As he celebrated in his champagne-soaked jersey, Curry could be seen asking no one in particular, “what else are they gonna say?”

"What are they gon say now" -Stephen Curry

Celebration Time #NBA75 pic.twitter.com/Tg5Adi73tz

— NBA (@NBA) June 17, 2022

The 2022 Finals MVP and Thompson were on top of the championship dias, getting ready for an embrace, when Thompson blurted out, “All we do is shoot threes and win championships.”

Most importantly, the signature depth that led the Warriors to so much success since 2015 reemerged during this run to the 2022 title.

“This is a collective season,” Thompson said. “Strength in numbers is alive and well.”

“All we do is shoot threes and win championships… I love you brother!”@KlayThompson x @StephenCurry30 pic.twitter.com/bAKemr80kf

— NBA (@NBA) June 17, 2022

Speaking of “Strength in Numbers,” Thompson perhaps had the biggest chip on his shoulder since he’s returned from not playing basketball for over 940 days. He took it personally when Jaren Jackson Jr. trolled the Warriors after the Grizzlies beat them in the regular season in March.

“I can’t wait; there is this one player on the Grizzlies who tweeted ‘strength in numbers’ after they beat us in the regular season, and it pissed me off so much,” Thompson angrily said. “I can’t wait to retweet that thing—frigging bum. I had to watch that, like this frigging — okay, okay. Sorry. Bad memory just popped up. Going to mock us? Like, you ain’t ever been there before, Bro. We been there. We know what it takes. Hold that. Twitter fingers, can you believe it? “I’ve got a memory like an elephant; I don’t forget.”

"I can't wait to retweet that thing. Freakin' bum."

Klay's been keeping receipts pic.twitter.com/WJReCAVukK

— Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) June 17, 2022

That the Warriors were able to turn these perceived slights into fuel for a championship run isn’t unusual. The greatest NBA dynasties, players, and teams have been able to turn it on after the proverbial bear was poked. Curry, Thompson, and the Warriors are just the latest to join the likes of Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant as the all-time champs of petty.

The basketball gods have certainly given the Warriors grace as their dynasty went through its ups and downs. Becoming the first team to go from the League’s worst record in 2020 to a championship in a three-year span speaks a lot to their resilience and championship DNA.

“You get goosebumps just thinking about, you know, all those snapshots and episodes that we went through to get back here, individually, collectively,” Curry said. “And that’s why I said I think this championship hits different. That’s why I have so many emotions, and still will, just because of what it took to get back here.”

After a grueling season, the Warriors can kick their feet up and appreciate what it means to be champs again. It’ll be a few months before the Warriors will likely have to find another collection of slights to help inspire them to another championship run.

The post Fourth Title in Eight Years Feels ‘Different’ For Golden State’s Championship Core appeared first on SLAM.

"I couldn't imagine sharing this journey with anyone else. We've built this thing from the ground up…"

Draymond Green on his relationship with Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson. pic.twitter.com/UKJczE3ZNs

— NBA (@NBA) June 15, 2022

Since the 2012-2013 campaign, the Warriors have only missed the playoff once in the 2019-2020 season after the departure of two-time Finals MVP Kevin Durant and the absence of Thompson due to a torn ACL. The Warriors qualified for the play-in tournament, but they ultimately ran outta stamp in losses to the Lakers and Grizzlies.

This past season, Golden State (53-29) finished third in the Western Conference and ran through the Denver Nuggets, the Memphis Grizzlies, and the Dallas Mavericks to make it back to the Finals for the sixth time, this time for a date with the Boston Celtics.

The time between the Warriors’ last Finals appearances has been well documented. Green, Curry, and Thompson have endured a lot, especially Thompson, who didn’t play a game for 941 days after suffering a torn Achilles during the 2020 offseason. Curry broke his hand in 2019-2020, leaving Green out there without the Splash Brothers for the first time in what seemed like forever.

Going into Game 6 of the Finals, Green expressed his gratitude for the Splash Brothers.

“I couldn’t imagine sharing this journey with anyone else. We’ve built this thing from the ground up.”

The core of the Warriors has a chance to close out the Finals on Thursday’s Game 6 and win their fourth title since 2015.

The post Draymond Green Speaks About His Relationship With Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson appeared first on SLAM.

This list is also featured in our special issue, SLAM Presents TOP 75 NBA Teams of All Time. Shop here.

Check out the full list below to see who our number one is and where your favorite team ranks. We expect that there will be some disgruntled fans out there, but that’s what makes this fun, right?

No. 66-75

Last but certainly not least. From the 1997-98 Pacers who put up a fight against the Chicago Bulls’ “Last Dance” squad to the 2018-19 Raptors that made history in the 6.

READ HERE

No. 65-55

These squads set the foundation for greatness to come. The birth of the Celtics dynasty with Bill Russell to the 2004-2005 Phoenix Suns had the best record in the L.

READ HERE

No. 54-44

Rewriting history. The 2003-04 Pistons that ended the Lakers’ Finals run to Milwaukee’s first title.

READ HERE

No. 43-33

Heavyweights turned champions. From the 1983-84 Celtics that brought the ‘chip back to the Bean over LA to the 2011-12 Heat that won LeBron James his first ring.

READ HERE

No. 32-22

Tight spaces and pressure packed situations formed these teams into dynasties. From the 2001-02 Lakers completing the three-peat, to the Spurs squad that gave Tim Duncan his third ring.

READ HERE

No. 21-11

These squads made history. The 2015-16 Warriors that won 73 games to the Cavaliers team that upset them in that same Finals.

READ HERE

No. 10

Back to back. Miami became the first Eastern Conference team to repeat as champions since the “Last Dance” Bulls.

READ HERE

No. 9

At the height of their dominance in 2000-01, the Shaq and Kobe-led Lakers generated one of the best postseason runs ever when they lost just one game in the 2001 playoffs.

READ HERE

No. 8

Paid in Full. The early 80’s were mostly dominated by the Lakers and Celtics, but the 1982-83 Sixers, led by Julius Erving and Moses Malone, swept LA in the Finals.

READ HERE

No. 7

The first of six rings for Jordan, this Bulls squad redeemed themselves when they swept the Pistons in the Eastern Conference Finals and then defeated the Lakers in five.

READ HERE

No. 6

A revenge tour and Magic’s first regular-season MVP, this “Showtime” Lakers team returned to the Finals after missing it the previous season.

READ HERE

No. 5

A coin flip in ’69 allowed the Bucks to draft Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, which brought a championship in his second season as he averaged over 30 points per game and earned MVP honors. Legendary.

READ HERE

No. 4

Larry Bird and the Boston Celtics were flying high in the mid 80’s. Larry himself won his second Finals MVP trophy in ’86.

READ HERE

No. 3

The opening act before Showtime. The Lakers capped off a tremendous season and brought vindication to the franchise. Wilt Chamberlain was the Finals MVP, and Jerry West could finally feel like a winner.

READ HERE

No. 2

One of the most talented teams ever assembled in the L, the Warriors lost only a single game during the 2017 playoffs. Adding Kevin Durant made their 2016-17 squad unstoppable.

READ HERE

No. 1

Top 2 and they’re not 2. The 1995-96 Bulls weathered a perfect storm; getting Michael Jordan back in full form, adding Dennis Rodman, the Bulls won their fourth title.

READ HERE

Photos via Getty Images.

The post SLAM’s TOP 75 NBA Teams of All Time: FULL LIST appeared first on SLAM.

Klay Thompson is 10-of-33 shooting in these Finals. Is he just missing shots or are the Celtics defending him well? https://t.co/8Z8VWqmOif

— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) June 7, 2022

Through two games, Thompson has scored 26 points on 10-33 shooting from the field and 4-15 from three-point range. During Tuesday’s media availability, Thompson said he plans on watching his “Game 6 Klay” highlights to help him break out of this slump. When Brown was asked why the Celtics have been able to guard Thompson at such a high level he elected to say Boston isn’t “doing a good enough job on Klay Thompson.”

“He’s just missing shots,” Brown said per The Athletic. “That player, he can get it going at any moment. We’re aware of that. We trying to prepare ourselves to make sure that doesn’t happen. But we’ve got to do a better job, to be honest.”

When asked about Thompson’s shooting struggles, Coach Steve Kerr said he thought Thompson was “pressing” as the game progressed, causing Thompson’s “mini-slump, or whatever you want to call it,” to worsen. Throughout his career, Thompson has hunted for points when his shot isn’t falling early, resulting in Thompson’s shot quality to go down.

“I probably seemed a little rushed,” Thompson admitted. “I wasn’t underneath my shot. This is nothing I’m immune to. I’ve been through shooting slumps before. The best part is, it’s how you respond. Come Game 3; I’ll probably not do much differently rather than just play with great pace and pump great shots. When I tend to do that, I tend to have a big night.”

When Thompson is on, he’s ON. He eviscerated the Thunder in Game 6 of the 2016 WCF. He hit a clutch dagger to eliminate the Rockets in 2019. He knocked down two big triples in Game 5 of the 2019 NBA Finals in Toronto to shift the series back to Oakland, but suffered a torn ACL the next time out in Toronto’s title-clinching win in Game 6.

Those microwave performances have made Thompson an League legend. But when you shine so bright with games like that, you’re also prone to tough shooting nights. Thompson shot 5-15 and 6-16 from the field during Games 3 and 4 losses in 2019. With a legacy like that, Thompson is well aware that scoring eruptions are the key to the Warriors winning their fourth title since 2015. Golden State knows it too.

If Thompson, Kerr, and the Warriors can take any solace, the Finals tape mostly agrees with Browns’ sentiment. Boston can improve on taking away Thompson’s clean catch-and-shot opportunities. In order to win Wednesday’s Game 3, Boston will look to make a better effort to limit Thompson’s open looks and continue to hope that Thompson misses early and often.

The post Jaylen Brown Sounds Off On Klay Thompson’s Shooting Slump appeared first on SLAM.

The Warriors sharpshooter has shot a combined 10-for-33 from the field through both games and shot 4-of-19 from the field (1-of-8 from three-point range) in Golden State’s bounce-back win over the Boston Celtics during Sunday’s Game 2. 

Realizing he’s struggling, Thompson says he’s going to watch his highlights on YouTube to get himself out of his shooting slump. Thompson was made available to the media Tuesday and was asked what his go-to search on Youtube was, to which he responded, “Game 6 Klay,” with a smile.

Ever since Thompson’s 41-point performance against the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 6 of the 2016 Western Conference Finals, the “Game 6 Klay” legend will never die. Since that game, Thompson’s always been known to show out once a series hits Game 6 (other performances include a 35-point game against the Houston Rockets in the 2018 Western Conference Finals and a 30-point showing against the Toronto Raptors in the 2019 NBA Finals).

“I’ll probably just YouTube’ Game 6 Klay’ because there were some very high pressurized situations I was in, and I ended up shooting the ball well,” Thompson told reporters Tuesday. “When you can do it when your back’s against the wall, you know you can do it at any given moment. It’s just about keeping that mental strong.”

Draymond Green agrees with Thompson’s idea, saying a shooting slump is about “the power of the mind.”

“You just need to see the ball go in the rim. It’s not always that simple in the game, Green said. “And so if you can go back to that, just a reminder like, I know I can do that, I know what I’m capable of. I can go back, I can feel that, and it gets you to feeling good about yourself. I think that’s a very big deal.”

Regardless of what Thompson does to escape his shooting slump, the Dubs will look to bounce back in Game 3 when they face the Celtics on the road at TD Garden tomorrow night.

The post Klay Thompson Says He’s Rewatching ‘Game 6 Klay’ Tape Amid Shooting Slump appeared first on SLAM.

To find out who else made it on the list, read here.

2. 2016-2017 Golden State Warriors

Coach: Steve Kerr

Record: 67-15

Roster: Matt Barnes, Ian Clark, Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, Draymond Green, Andre Iguodala, Damian Jones, Shaun Livingston, Kevon Looney, James Michael McAdoo, Patrick McCaw, JaVale McGee, Zaza Pachulia, Klay Thompson, Anderson Varejao, Briante Weber, David West

Talk about an over-correction. The Warriors fall in the 2016 Finals, in a series they might well have won had Draymond Green not been suspended for a game, and what do they do? They decide that a core of Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Green just isn’t enough to get it done—even though Golden State had won a title in 2015 with the same group and had set the NBA record for regular-season wins in 2015-16 (73).

When most strong teams try to upgrade their cores, they do so with a couple of key, yet hardly overwhelming, additions. Not the Warriors. They went out and signed Kevin Durant to a free-agent deal, adding an elite NBA player who had been a seven-time All-Star and four-time scoring champion to an already-stacked roster. It was almost laughable.

Except the rest of the NBA wasn’t laughing. At all. 

When the deal was announced, there was some hand-wringing among analysts about how a high-volume scorer like Durant—he averaged 28.2 ppg the previous season—would fit with Curry, who could pile up the points himself. That seemed like a bit of hopeful thinking among the rest of the League, since the thought of a fully-functional Curry-Durant axis was frightening.

It was even scarier to encounter. Even though Durant missed the final 19 games of the regular season with an MCL sprain, he teamed with Curry to form an overpowering scoring tandem that could torment rivals from long range and off the dribble. The Warriors led the League in points scored, field goal percentage and assists. Golden State had a +11.6 point differential. More importantly, their 67 wins were much better than the NBA’s next total—the Spurs’ 61—and 16 ahead of the Clippers, the Pacific’s second-place team.

Durant (25.1 ppg) and Curry (25.3 ppg) were the clear offensive leaders, and when rivals concentrated on one, the other took charge. But championship teams can’t thrive simply on the efforts of a couple players. Thompson averaged 22.3 ppg and led the team with 41.4 percent accuracy from long range. While Green’s offensive output (10.2 ppg) wasn’t overwhelming, he was stout on the boards and played his customary frenetic defense. Role players like Andre Iguodala, Shaun Livingston and Zaza Pachulia provided production, defense and steady support. The Warriors had big names at the top of the marquee, but the rest of the rotation was valuable every night, too.

The 67 regular-season wins, while not as legendary as the previous season’s total, were impressive. But the Warriors were super-charged in the playoffs. At some point in the coming years and decades, a team will go 16-0 in the postseason. Until then, the Warriors 16-1 performance will have to be the gold standard.

Golden State dusted away Portland in the first round, with the margin of victory under 10 points just once. The Warriors similarly dispatched the Jazz in the Western Semis, with each triumph at least double digits. And remember those Spurs? After Golden State squeaked past San Antonio in the opening game of the Western Finals, 113-111, behind 40 from Curry, they went on to another sweep and a date with the Cavs in the Finals.

The LeBron James-Kyrie Irving tandem was pretty good, but Durant-Curry was better. Add in Thompson, Green et al, and it wasn’t much of a contest. The Warriors finally surrendered a postseason decision in Game 4. Otherwise, it was all Golden State. Durant was the MVP, and the Warriors had avenged their previous disappointment with a remarkable season.

And one great offseason move.

Get your copy of SLAM Presents TOP 75 NBA Teams Of All Time

Photos via Getty Images.

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He first tore his ACL in Game 6 of the 2019 NBA Finals; then, before coming back for the 2021 season, he tore his Achilles which forced him to sit out 132 games before hitting the floor again.

Thompson, playing in only 32 regular-season games, was able to score 20.4 points per game on and 38.5 percent shooting from beyond the arc. The 2022 playoffs saw Thompson average 19.8 points, knocking down 39.9 percent of three-point attempts, 45.7 percent shooting from the field, and 80.0 percent from the free-throw line.

None of the numbers have ever mattered for Thompson. All he wants to do is play basketball. His quote from Finals media day has echoed all over in recent hours and epitomized his character as both player and person.

“I’m going to enjoy every second of this, play as hard as I can, and walk away with no regrets,” Thompson told reporters on Monday.

He admitted that he never thought he would get to as many NBA Finals as he has. Thompson’s perseverance has gotten him back to familiar ground, and he will look to play a major role in the Warriors’ quest for a fourth ring with this iteration of the Golden State dynasty.

Golden State hosts Thursday’s Game 1 of the NBA Finals against the Boston Celtics.

The post Klay Thompson Plans to ‘Enjoy Every Second’ of Sixth Finals Appearance appeared first on SLAM.

Boston’s defensive focus will mainly be on Stephen Curry, perhaps the best perimeter-oriented player in the League.

He gets to see the 2022 Defensive Player of the Year, Boston’s Marcus Smart, who will likely be stalking Curry the entire series. For opposing guards in the League, the assignment doesn’t get much more complex than Curry, let alone stopping him in the NBA Finals.

In an interview with Chris Haynes of YahooSports, Smart had said that guarding Curry on this stage is “special,” considering that this is also his first Finals appearance. The most important detail, as Smart noted, was getting his rest. 

“Getting sleep in this series is huge, man,” Smart told Haynes. “You know they are going to make you run. You have to put on your track shoes, and you have to be ready. So for me, it’s about being able to get my rest and a good night’s sleep. My conditioning is there to keep up with these guys, but you have to be fresh for them.”

Perhaps Boston is the best-equipped team to deal with Golden State than previous teams, given their physical nature and how tall their lineups are. Players such as Smart and Jaylen Brown will be able to match up with Curry and Klay Thompson, given their similarities with physical tools. 

The battle within the war also has some extra incentives to it as well because of the two times that Boston and Golden State met in the regular season, specifically during a Warriors-Celtics game on March 16 when Smart rolled Curry’s ankle while diving for a loose ball.

Smart is also seen as a target by players and fans because of his playstyle: a rigid, blue-collar attitude that reflects in Smart and how others perceive him. He plays as hard as anyone in the League, diving for everything on the floor, and plays perhaps the most exhilarating defense with a proud personality. Sometimes he can rub people the wrong way, but that doesn’t mean he will change to please people.

“I know I’m not the League’s favorite, I know I’m not the fan-favorite all the time, and I know I’m not a lot of people’s favorite player,” Smart suggested per Haynes. “My whole life has been like that. I’ve always been the underdog.”

This year’s Finals will be a matchup of polar opposite forces who are similar in many different ways. The Warriors are seen as the standard of the NBA, while Boston is more of an underdog team with hard-working players who fight for everything. And if Boston’s seven-game slugfest with Miami indicates anything, Golden State is in for a bumpy ride in these NBA Finals.

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Here’s our No. 21-11:

21. 2015-16 Golden State Warriors

Coach: Steve Kerr (Luke Walton, Interim Head Coach)

Record: 73-9

Roster: Leandro Barbosa, Harrison Barnes, Andrew Bogut, Ian Clark, Stephen Curry, Festus Ezeli, Draymond Green, Andre Iguodala, Shaun Livingston, Kevon Looney, James Michael McAdoo, Brandon Rush, Marreese Speights, Jason Thompson, Klay Thompson, Anderson Varejao

Never before in NBA history had a team finished the regular season with a single digit in the loss column. When these Dubs did it, fresh off the first of what seemed sure to be three or five or 10 titles with the Curry-Thompson-Green core, a championship seemed like almost a formality—and even more so when they took a seemingly insurmountable 3-1 lead in the Finals. Only then it was Cleveland’s turn to make history.

20. 2015-16 Cleveland Cavaliers

Record: 57-25

Roster: Jared Cunningham, Matthew Dellavedova, Channing Frye, Joe Harris, Kyrie Irving, LeBron James, Richard Jefferson, Dahntay Jones, James Jones, Sasha Kaun, Kevin Love, Jordan McRae, Timofey Mozgov, Iman Shumpert, JR Smith, Tristan Thompson, Anderson Varejao, Mo Williams

There would be no shame in a second straight Finals loss to the mighty Warriors—no shame for LeBron, Kyrie and Kevin in falling short against the historically elite Dubs. There would be disappointment, sure, that the title LeBron came back to Cleveland to win, as part of arguably the most talented team in Cavs history, simply wasn’t meant to be. But this was Cleveland. They were used to disappointment. They weren’t used to making history. Until they did.

19. 1991-92 Chicago Bulls

Coach: Phil Jackson

Record: 67-15

Roster: BJ Armstrong, Bill Cartwright, Horace Grant, Bob Hansen, Craig Hodges, Dennis Hopson, Michael Jordan, Stacey King, Cliff Levingston, Chuck Nevitt, John Paxson, Will Perdue, Scottie Pippen, Mark Randall, Rory Sparrow, Scott Williams

One title, against an aging Lakers team, did not make a dynasty, and so the Bulls came into the ’91-92 season motivated for more. Those 67 regular-season wins were a statement, as was another MVP award for Michael Jordan (30.1 ppg, 6.4 rpg, 6.1 apg). But as ever, the playoffs were where it mattered, and Chicago needed to survive a seven-game series with the Knicks en route to the Finals. Once there, a hungry and talented Portland team promised to make the Bulls earn it. And so they did.

18. 2013-14 San Antonio Spurs

Coach: Gregg Popovich

Record: 62-20

Roster: Jeff Ayres, Aron Baynes, Marco Belinelli, Matt Bonner, Shannon Brown, Austin Daye, Nando De Colo, Boris Diaw, Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili, Danny Green, Damion James, Othyus Jeffers, Cory Joseph, Kawhi Leonard, Patty Mills, Tony Parker, Tiago Splitter, Malcolm Thomas

The whole thing with the Spurs’ post-millennial dominance was that it was Duncan, Parker and Ginobili, and then whatever spare parts Coach Pop managed to perfectly align around them. It wasn’t supposed to be like this: A 22-year-old, third-year forward who averaged 12.8 ppg in the regular season emerging as the most impactful player in the entire postseason, including a Finals MVP performance in a five-game humbling of the Heat. This Kawhi Leonard guy might be pretty good.

17. 1997-98 Chicago Bulls

Coach: Phil Jackson

Record: 62-20

Roster: Keith Booth, Randy Brown, Jud Buechler, Scott Burrell, Jason Caffey, Ron Harper, Michael Jordan, Steve Kerr, Joe Kleine, Toni Kukoc, Rusty LaRue, Luc Longley, Scottie Pippen, Dennis Rodman, Dickey Simpkins, David Vaughn, Bill Wennington

The Bulls kept the gang together for the “Last Dance,” and the result was a sixth title in eight years. There was plenty of tension and pressure. As usual, Michael Jordan was a hard-driving, big-scoring winner, while Scottie Pippen rode shotgun. Toni Kukoc did a bit of everything, and Dennis Rodman pounded the boards. Chicago survived a seven-game thriller with Indiana to reach the Finals, then dispatched Utah in six to end it all in style.

16. 1966-67 Philadelphia 76ers

Coach: Alex Hannum

Record: 68-13

Roster: Wilt Chamberlain, Larry Costello, Billy Cunningham, Dave Gambee, Hal Greer, Matt Guokas, Luke Jackson, Wali Jones, Bill Melchionni, Chet Walker, Bob Weiss

After years of dominating the scorebook but not the winner’s circle, Wilt Chamberlain finally won a title. He did it by playing great defense, grabbing nearly every rebound and, amazingly, passing. He had plenty of targets. Hal Greer, Chet Walker, Billy Cunningham and Wali Jones were dangerous scorers, and few were tougher inside than Luke Jackson.
The Sixers whipped the Celtics in five to reach the Finals and then stopped the Warriors to give The Big Dipper a championship.

15. 1984-85 Los Angeles Lakers

Coach: Pat Riley

Record: 62-20

Roster: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Michael Cooper, Magic Johnson, Earl Jones, Mitch Kupchak, Ronnie Lester, Bob McAdoo, Mike McGee, Chuck Nevitt, Kurt Rambis, Byron Scott, Larry Spriggs, Jamaal Wilkes, James Worthy

The Lakers had lost in two straight Finals but ’84-85 would be different. L.A. trampled all Western Conference competition and was led again by maestro Magic Johnson. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was still a force in the paint, while James Worthy, Byron Scott and Michael Cooper were a formidable supporting cast. After L.A. lost by 34 in the Finals opener, Abdul-Jabbar took over and was MVP of the Lakers’ first-ever championship win over Boston.

14. 1988-89 Detroit Pistons

Coach: Chuck Daly

Record: 63-19

Roster: Mark Aguirre, Adrian Dantley, Darryl Dawkins, Fennis Dembo, Joe Dumars, James Edwards, Steve Harris, Vinnie Johnson, Bill Laimbeer, John Long, Rick Mahorn, Pace Mannion, Dennis Rodman, Jim Rowinski, John Salley, Isiah Thomas, Micheal Williams

The Pistons won a title with a team as tough as their town. The Bad Boys were physical, to be sure, but they had plenty of talent. Isiah Thomas teamed with Joe Dumars in a lethal backcourt, with Vinnie Johnson providing heat off the bench. Rick Mahorn and Bill Laimbeer handled the rough stuff, and the mid-season trade for Mark Aguirre brought it all together. Detroit ended the Showtime era by sweeping the Lakers in the Finals.

13. 2017-18 Golden State Warriors

Coach: Steve Kerr

Record: 58-24

Roster: Jordan Bell, Chris Boucher, Omri Casspi, Quinn Cook, Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, Draymond Green, Andre Iguodala, Damian Jones, Shaun Livingston, Kevon Looney, Patrick McCaw, JaVale McGee, Zaza Pachulia, Klay Thompson, David West, Nick Young

For the Dubs, regular-season records had long since been rendered meaningless. This was about trophies, and the last of Golden State’s trio of titles ended up being its most conclusive. KD and Steph both missed chunks of the season but still functioned as the League’s most reliable cheat code when it mattered, and after a seven-game scare from Houston in the West Finals, the Warriors swept a depleted Cavs squad for the championship.

12. 1996-97 Chicago Bulls

Coach: Phil Jackson

Record: 69-13

Roster: Randy Brown, Jud Buechler, Jason Caffey, Bison Dele, Ron Harper, Michael Jordan, Steve Kerr, Toni Kukoc, Luc Longley, Robert Parish, Scottie Pippen, Dennis Rodman, Dickey Simpkins, Matt Steigenga, Bill Wennington

By now, it was only a question of how long they could keep it going. A year after that 72-win campaign, the Bulls started the ’96-97 season with 12 straight victories and had five winning streaks of seven games or more. The machine just kept humming right up until the Finals, and then, there was a moment in Game 6 when it looked like the Jazz might force a Game 7. But they didn’t, because against these Bulls, nobody ever did.

11. 1964-65 Boston Celtics

Coach: Red Auerbach

Record: 62-18

Roster: Ron Bonham, Mel Counts, John Havlicek, Tom Heinsohn, KC Jones, Sam Jones, Willie Naulls, Bevo Nordmann, Bill Russell, Tom Sanders, Larry Siegfried, John Thompson, Gerry Ward

The best team of Boston’s ’60s dynasty? It’s at least in the conversation. Six Celtics averaged double figures, led by Sam Jones’ 25.9 ppg. It was the last of Bill Russell’s five MVP seasons, and the last of Tommy Heinsohn’s Hall of Fame career. The defining moment, thanks to a legendary call by Johnny Most, came against Philly in Game 7 of the East Finals: “Havlicek stole the ball!” A 4-1 dispatching of the Lakers in the Finals was almost anticlimactic.

Read here to find out who made it on the rest of the list, including No. 75-66, 65-55, 54-44, 43-33 and 32-22.

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Wow. The Golden State Warriors are back in the NBA Finals for the sixth time in eight years after their 120-110 series-clinching win over the Dallas Mavericks.

Warriors!

A look from inside the arena as the @warriors accept the Oscar Robertson Trophy! #DubNation pic.twitter.com/KuOKSHPmUL

— NBA (@NBA) May 27, 2022

The win is sweeter when you remember where the Warriors were after their 2019 NBA Finals loss to the Toronto Raptors.

A lottery finish in 2020 and a play-in tournament flameout in 2021 wasn’t enough to stop the Warriors’ core of Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green from dreaming of coming back to the FInals again. The Dubs (53-29) finished the regular-season with the third-seed in the Western Conference playoffs. The 2021-22 campaign was highlighted by Curry becoming the all-time king in long-range shooting and Thompson’s long-awaited return.

To get to this point, the Warriors beat the Nuggets in a gentlemen sweep, outlasted the Grizzlies in six games, and beat the Mavericks in five games.

“This is a blessing,” Curry said. “Obviously, this is a team effort with what Draymond said, for us to be out the mix the last two years. To be where we belong back in the Finals — this is special.”

“Everything about it is special. . We know this isn’t the ultimate goal, but we have to celebrate this cause of all we went through these last three years.”

THEY’RE BACK!!! (via @SportsCenter) pic.twitter.com/2VkJClrPLg

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) May 27, 2022

Game 6 Thompson (32 points on eight made threes) made an early appearance to help the Warriors close out the Mavericks on Thursday’s Game. The five-time All-Star scored 19 points on five triples, giving Golden State a 17-point lead on this dagger-three that Thompson celebrated with a Curry-like shimmy.

Klay hitting the shimmy got me LITTTTT (via @NBAonTNT) pic.twitter.com/KSCf8NuMX0

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) May 27, 2022

In the second-half, Golden State grew their lead to as many as 25 points after Curry (15 points, nine assists) knocked down a floater. Luka Doncic (28 points, nine rebounds, six dimes) then woke up from his sleepy start and scored 15 points in the third frame, helping to engineer a 15-4 run that cut the deficit to eight points powered by back-to-back triples from Luka Magic.

Luka with 15 points in the 3Q pic.twitter.com/NJVAPVSzm3

— Dallas Mavericks (@dallasmavs) May 27, 2022

However, that’s as close as Dallas would get. The Warriors scored five straight points to bring the lead back to 15, and the Golden State Big 3 of Curry, Green (17 points, six rebounds, nine assists, including seven in the fourth), and Thompson scored 15 points to close Game 6 out, with Curry and Thompson knocking down consecutive three-pointe to build a 16-point lead with 2:02 left in the game.

“You’re going to make me emotional, man,” Thompson said, smiling from corner to corner. “It’s hard to put in words — I dreamt of this day. There were some dog days, and to be here, I’m so thankful for our squad they started the season so incredibly well, allowed us to finish out strong, and we are four wins away from a championship.”

With the WCF series wrapped up, Curry became the first-ever Magic Johnson Trophy winner. The Warriors await the winner of the Heat-Celtics series, the Celtics lead the series 3-2. Golden State will host Game 1 of the FInals when they begin on June 2.

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From dominant big threes and electrifying duos to all-around greatness, here’s our top 43-33:

43. 1958-59 Boston Celtics

Coach: Red Auerbach

Record: 52-20

Roster: Gene Conley, Bob Cousy, Tom Heinsohn, KC Jones, Sam Jones, Jim Loscutoff, Frank Ramsey, Bill Russell, Bill Sharman, Bennie Swain, Lou Tsioropoulos

The greatest rivalry in NBA history began, for all practical purposes, in the spring of ’59, and it foreshadowed the decade to come. Led by veteran guard Bill Sharman’s 20.4 ppg, five Celtics averaged better than 15 ppg en route to the League’s best record. They needed seven games to dispatch Syracuse in the conference finals, setting up a first-ever Finals meeting with the Minneapolis Lakers. Three Cs averaged 20-plus, Bill Russell pulled down 22.1 boards per and Boston swept their way to the title.

42. 2002-03 San Antonio Spurs

Coach: Gregg Popovich

Record: 60-22

Roster: Mengke Bateer, Bruce Bowen, Devin Brown, Speedy Claxton, Tim Duncan, Danny Ferry, Manu Ginobili, Anthony Goldwire, Stephen Jackson, Steve Kerr, Tony Parker, David Robinson, Malik Rose, Steve Smith, Kevin Willis

The Kings, Mavs, Spurs and Timberwolves all finished ahead of the three-time-defending-champion Lakers in ’02-03, but one of them would still have to beat L.A. when it mattered. Led by Tim Duncan, fresh off a second straight League MVP award, and second-year point guard Tony Parker, San Antonio got its chance in the second round and dispatched Shaq and Kobe in six games. They handled Dallas and New Jersey in similarly businesslike fashion en route to the chip.

41. 2018-19 Golden State Warriors

Coach: Steve Kerr

Record: 57-25

Roster: Jordan Bell, Andrew Bogut, Quinn Cook, DeMarcus Cousins, Stephen Curry, Marcus Derrickson, Kevin Durant, Jacob Evans, Draymond Green, Andre Iguodala, Jonas Jerebko, Damian Jones, Damion Lee, Shaun Livingston, Kevon Looney, Alfonzo McKinnie, Klay Thompson

The three-peat was never a given, but it was right there, within reach. As injury-impacted NBA championships go, this one is right up there. With Steph, KD and Klay, the Dubs were the scariest offensive team in the League; but a mix of minor and major injuries to the Splash Bros, Durant and much of the supporting cast in May and June were too much for the Dubs to overcome. Toronto got them in six games in the Finals. You just know they’d love a do-over.

40. 1993-94 Houston Rockets

Coach: Rudy Tomjanovich

Record: 58-24

Roster: Scott Brooks, Matt Bullard, Sam Cassell, Earl Cureton, Mario Elie, Carl Herrera, Robert Horry, Chris Jent, Vernon Maxwell, Hakeem Olajuwon, Richard Petruska, Eric Riley, Larry Robinson, Kenny Smith, Otis Thorpe

Go ahead and attribute Houston’s first title to Michael Jordan’s baseball flirtation. Others have done it, and it’s just wrong. The Rockets excelled at both ends of the court, had all-time great Hakeem Olajuwon and his Dream Shake in the middle and boasted a versatile lineup of fierce gamers like guards Kenny Smith and Vernon Maxwell and rugged Otis Thorpe. Houston outlasted the Knicks in a classic Finals series and deserves a title with no asterisk.

39. 1983-84 Boston Celtics

Coach: KC Jones

Record: 62-20

Roster: Danny Ainge, Larry Bird, Quinn Buckner, ML Carr, Carlos Clark, Gerald Henderson, Dennis Johnson, Greg Kite, Cedric Maxwell, Kevin McHale, Robert Parish, Scott Wedman

After two years of watching hated rivals Philadelphia and the Lakers hoist the trophy, Boston reclaimed its rightful spot atop the NBA. Or at least that’s how Celtics fans figured it. Call the roll: Larry Bird, Robert Parish and Kevin McHale were up front. Dennis Johnson, Cedric Maxwell and Gerald Henderson handled the backcourt. The Celtics had way more regular-season victories than anyone else and won a thrilling seven-gamer over L.A. to take the title.

38. 2011-12 Miami Heat

Coach: Erik Spoelstra

Record: 46-20

Roster: Joel Anthony, Shane Battier, Chris Bosh, Mario Chalmers, Norris Cole, Eddy Curry, Mickell Gladness, Terrel Harris, Udonis Haslem, Juwan Howard, LeBron James, James Jones, Mike Miller, Dexter Pittman, Ronny Turiaf, Dwyane Wade

Although LeBron James had taken his talents to Miami a year earlier, the Heat hadn’t won a title. In the lockout-shortened ’11-12 campaign, James, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh & Co. changed that. The Big Three were a force all season, and a strong supporting cast helped fuel a focused postseason run. The seven-game Eastern Finals series with Boston was a grind, but the Heat dominated OKC in the Finals to take the title.

37. 1972-73 New York Knicks

Coach: Red Holzman

Record: 57-25

Roster: Dick Barnett, Henry Bibby, Bill Bradley, Dave DeBusschere, Walt Frazier, John Gianelli, Phil Jackson, Jerry Lucas, Dean Meminger, Earl Monroe, Luther Rackley, Willis Reed, Tom Riker, Harthorne Wingo

If it’s possible, the Knicks five-game wipeout of L.A. in the Finals was actually an anticlimax after their thrilling Eastern Finals upset of the Celtics. The Knicks were the consummate collection of team players. Backcourt men Walt Frazier and Earl Monroe were practically unguardable. Dave DeBusschere was a force inside, while Bill Bradley patrolled the wings. Jerry Lucas was the League’s best passing big man, and Willis Reed could still hang with the best centers around.

36. 1999-2000 Los Angeles Lakers

Coach: Phil Jackson

Record: 67-15

Roster: Kobe Bryant, John Celestand, Derek Fisher, Rick Fox, Devean George, AC Green, Ron Harper, Robert Horry, Sam Jacobson, Travis Knight, Tyronn Lue, Shaquille O’Neal, Glen Rice,
John Salley, Brian Shaw

This was the first of three straight for the Big Brother-Little Brother Lakers. Shaq and Kobe were together for three seasons before ’99-00, and although their relationship wasn’t always the warmest, their talent was overwhelming. There was just no stopping the Diesel. O’Neal overpowered defenders and swept the boards clean, while Bryant provided offense from all over. Glen Rice was a potent outside weapon, and a cast of veteran winners completed the Laker machine.

35. 1979-80 Los Angeles Lakers

Record: 60-22

Roster: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Ron Boone, Marty Byrnes, Kenny Carr, Jim Chones, Michael Cooper, Don Ford, Spencer Haywood, Brad Holland, Magic Johnson, Mark Landsberger, Butch Lee, Ollie Mack, Norm Nixon, Jamaal Wilkes

Showtime made its NBA debut in Magic Johnson’s rookie season, when the 6-9 point guard brought fun back to the Lakers and kick-started perhaps the League’s most entertaining decade. Johnson revitalized center Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and served as the trigger for a raucous L.A. attack that was bolstered by Norm Nixon, Jamaal Wilkes and Jim Chones. The Lakers ruled the West and finished off Philadelphia in six, with Johnson scoring 42 in the Finals-clinching victory.

34. 2014-15 Golden State Warriors

Coach: Steve Kerr

Record: 67-15

Roster: Leandro Barbosa, Harrison Barnes, Andrew Bogut, Stephen Curry, Festus Ezeli, Draymond Green, Justin Holiday, Andre Iguodala, Ognjen Kuzmic, David Lee, Shaun Livingston, James Michael McAdoo, Brandon Rush, Marreese Speights, Klay Thompson

The Warriors’ first title in 40 years—and the first of three in four seasons—was accomplished primarily by the never-ending shooting of Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson, whose solution to tough defenses was simply to move back another step or two. Draymond Green handled the tough work and never backed down from a soul, while Harrison Barnes and Marreese Speights did what was necessary. The Warriors dumped the Cavs in six to take the crown.

33. 1976-77 Portland Trail Blazers

Coach: Jack Ramsay

Record: 49-33

Roster: Corky Calhoun, Johnny Davis, Herm Gilliam, Bob Gross, Lionel Hollins, Robin Jones, Maurice Lucas, Clyde Mayes, Lloyd Neal, Larry Steele, Dave Twardzik, Wally Walker, Bill Walton

The Blazers weren’t overpowering during the regular season, but by the playoffs, they had become the perfect team, working as a highly efficient unit under coach Jack Ramsay. It all started with Bill Walton, a pivot savant who could pass, score and rebound. Maurice Lucas provided the muscle, with Lionel Hollins, Dave Twardzik, Bob Gross and Larry Steele willingly playing supporting roles. Portland overcame Julius Erving’s high-flying Sixers in the Finals with textbook unselfish basketball.

Read here to find out who made it on the rest of the list, including No. 75-66, 65-55 and 54-44.

Get your copy of SLAM Presents TOP 75 NBA Teams Of All Time

Photos via Getty Images

The post SLAM’s TOP 75 NBA Teams of All Time: No. 43-33 appeared first on SLAM.

That subsequent offseason featured a roster overhaul after two-time Finals MVP Kevin Durant left for Brooklyn, and Andre Igoudala was traded to the Memphis Grizzlies in a deal to acquire D’Angelo Russell. The Warriors would also lose Klay Thompson for the first of two-and-a-half seasons after he tore his ACL during Game 6 of the 2019 Finals.

The following two seasons were a far departure from the supernova of greatness NBA fans grew accustomed to for the previous five seasons. The Warriors moved to San Francisco, leaving the fan-favorite Oakland Arena for the posh new Chase Center. What followed the subsequent two regular-season campaigns was a 15-50 COVID-19 shortened season 2019-2020, punctuated by the three-month absence of Stephen Curry due to a broken hand.

“None of these people really removed us from this space,” Green told ESPN’s Ohm Youngmisuk of the team missing the playoffs the previous two seasons. “Toronto beat us, but no one really came and said, ‘All right, the Golden State Warriors’ time is up.'”

Draymond: “None of these people really removed us from this space. Toronto beat us, but no one really came and said, 'All right, the Golden State Warriors' time is up.'" https://t.co/gNK8gsRYwV

— Ohm Youngmisuk (@NotoriousOHM) May 23, 2022

The Warriors didn’t spend that season just losing; at the 2020 trade deadline, the Warriors acquired Andrew Wiggins, a top-3 protected first-round pick and a second-rounder. Although the Warriors weren’t invited to the Orlando Bubble, the future looked bright.

The Warriors spent the offseason going into the 2020-21 season drafting James Wiseman with the No. 2 overall pick. However, the Warriors’ wind got knocked out of them when Thompson tore his Achilles during a pickup game, forcing him to miss the entirety of the season.

The Warriors responded to yet another tumultuous season by qualifying for the newly-created Play-In Tournament thanks to Curry’s scoring prowess, winning his second scoring title and leading the Warriors to a 39-33 record. However, the Warriors hit a brick wall after playing so hard to get to the Play-In Tournament, ultimately losing to the Lakers and the Grizzlies for the final two spots in the playoffs.

“We didn’t leave the space because we just got too old to do it,” Green told Youngmisuk. “We didn’t leave the space because all of us went our separate ways. We left the space because Klay Thompson was out, and then he was out again, and Andre [Iguodala] wasn’t here.

“And then Steph Curry was out. We didn’t leave this space because we weren’t capable of being in the space anymore.”

Heading into this last regular-season campaign, many around the NBA believed that the Warriors would once again be title favorites when healthy. Thompson finally had his glorious on-court return, playing for the first time in 941 days in January against the Pacers. But the season was marred by injuries to Draymond Green and Curry. However, the emergence of third-year guard Jordan Poole helped offset those losses.

The Warriors (53-29) finished the regular season with the third-best record in the West. They went on to gentlemen sweep the Nikola Jokic-led Nuggets, beat Ja Morant and the upstart Grizzlies in six games, and are on the verge of zooming past another superstar in Luka Doncic and the Mavs in a sweep.

His movement off the ball is god-tier. Curry with the iconic look-away three.

(via @warriors) pic.twitter.com/QApyPsgQCJ

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) May 23, 2022

This run is even more impressive because the Warriors have beaten the young teams and superstars who are supposed to have next as this Warriors core grows older. Even as their Western Conference foes continue to grow, none of them have close to replacing the Warriors at the top of the League they ruled for five straight seasons.

Heading into Tuesday’s Game 4 against the Mavericks, the Warriors will have their first chance to sweep a WCF foe since 2019, when they beat the Trail Blazers to advance to that fateful 2020 NBA Finals loss. The Dubs have won nine straight conference finals games, going back to a Game 7 win against the Rockets in 2018

“For us to get back to this stage and win one playoff series, let alone where we are now, it’s not motivation,” said Curry, who finished Game 3 against Dallas with 31 points, 11 assists, and five rebounds. “It’s more of an excitement that we can do it a different way.

“The motivation is that we’re back on this stage with an opportunity to chase the Finals appearance after a two-year hiatus with our core and a new cast of characters.”

The post Draymond Green Speaks On the Warriors’ Two-Year Playoff Hiatus appeared first on SLAM.

The clutch win helps complete the Warriors’ revamp from missing the playoffs to regaining their luster this season. The season could be considered a success just because Thompson finally played his first game since losing nearly three years of his career due to a torn ACL and Achilles tear he suffered in back-to-back seasons.

“I knew it became routine in the 2010s for the Dubs, but that’s a special special opportunity. We do not take that lightly; we’re gonna keep our feet up the next couple days. Watch this Suns-Mavs Game 7. Get the popcorn ready. But it’s just—it’s so special; I’m gonna enjoy it tonight, and I’m going to be hungry when that time comes cause you can’t take it for granted. Nothing is guaranteed in sports.

Game 6 Klay ain’t nuthin’ to mess with.

30 PTS | 8-14 3PM | 3 BLK pic.twitter.com/yaHS1j59LR

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) May 14, 2022

Out of Thompson’s eight three-pointers, none seemed to feel more satisfying than the 28-footer he hit to give the Warriors a 13-point lead with just under three minutes to go in the fourth quarter. Just one minute later, Stephen Curry hit a triple from the left corner to increase the lead to 16. The back-to-back daggers capped off a 32-point fourth quarter to escape with a WCF berth.

“Today, I was thinking about the last couple years and what this team has been through, and to have another closeout game at Chase Center, it gave me butterflies. I was nervous all day, but I was just having so much fun tonight, and I’m proud of this team for being so resilient.

Built for Game 6. (via @warriors) pic.twitter.com/HQ4RmPyRIl

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) May 14, 2022

The setup going into the pivotal final frame was the Warriors nearly giving away the game due to some poor decision-making (22 turnovers) and tough shot-making from Desmond Bane (25 points, seven rebounds) and Dillon Brooks (30 points). Their performances were matched by Andrew Wiggins, who finished Game 6 with 18 points and 11 rebounds. Draymond Green contributed 14 points, 15 boards, and eight dimes.

The solution to the Warriors’ messy play was a monumental fourth-quarter effort where they outpaced the Grizzlies with a 10-0 run to give the Dubs a 97-89 lead at the 5:04 mark. The lead ballooned to as much as 16 after Curry nailed a stepback J late in the fourth quarter, sending San Franciso into a frenzy, while Memphis took a punch to the chin that ended their memorable season and launched them back into the limelight.

Golden State will have four days to enjoy their win, and they will face the winner of the Phoenix-Dallas series next week.

The post Game 6 Klay Thompson Leads Warriors to Conference Finals appeared first on SLAM.

Golden State could’ve easily folded but their veteran will allowed them to erase a seven-point deficit and outscore Memphis 39-29 in the final frame, setting the scene for Stephen Curry to give the Warriors their first lead of the game with 45.7 seconds left. Curry subsequently sealed the deal with eight free throws over that same time period.

Stephen led the way for Golden State with a game-high 32 PTS. Game 4 belonged to Dub Nation.

(via @warriors)pic.twitter.com/Cs9I1IeJNp

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) May 10, 2022

As you can see, the championship pedigree of Golden State will never not be tested, but the proud franchise has won 20 playoff series since 2013. The Warriors know anything can happen in the playoffs with a 3-1 lead (see: 2016 NBA Finals) which is why the Dubs will rely on their championship will to eliminate the Grizzlies on Wednesday.

The second half of the Splash Brothers and another playoff tested veteran Klay Thompson, kept the 3-1 lead in perspective.

“Wednesday’s going to be the hardest one yet,” Thompson said per the Memphis Commercial Appeal. “It always is. The closeout.”

The post Klay Thompson Says Closeout Game 5 Will Be the ‘Hardest One Yet’ appeared first on SLAM.

The Denver Nugget hung on to beat the Warriors, 126-121 to force a Game 5 on Wednesday night. Jokic was the orchestrator on offense, as usual, putting up 37 points, 8 rebounds and 6 assists, but it was his leadership and basketball I.Q. that was the difference.

Nikola Jokic had it rolling from tip-off, scoring 18 of the @nuggets first 23 points on his way to 37 points, 8 boards, and 6 assists to force Game 5! #MileHighBasketball

Game 5: GSW vs DEN, Wed. 10pm/et on TNT pic.twitter.com/ACg4mKCwkY

— NBA (@NBA) April 25, 2022

Jokic, who averaged 29.3 points, 13 rebounds and 5 assists over the first three games of the series, dropped 18 points in the first quarter that almost matched the Warriors entire total.

These two plays down the stretch helped sealed it for his Nuggets. First, he warned his teammates about a Warriors lob play from out of bounds that led to a turnover with just over 30 seconds left to go in the game…

Jokic called out the play from the bench #NBAPlayoffs presented by Google Pixel on ABC pic.twitter.com/e3gQkSHyas

— NBA (@NBA) April 24, 2022

Then his drive and kick to Will Barton in the left corner led to the clincher off a perfect pass to send it to Game 5.

WILL W THE DAGGER TO FINISH pic.twitter.com/cuPC9anvuX

— x – Denver Nuggets (@nuggets) April 24, 2022

Although 143 other teams who faced a 3-0 deficit in the NBA playoffs has never bounced back to win a series, Denver is the only team to overcome 3-1 deficits, having beaten the Utah Jazz and Los Angeles Clippers two years ago in the bubble. Jokic believes that is enough cause to have faith via ESPN.

“The odds are against us. But we’ve beaten the odds a couple of times, so why not?”

The post ‘The Odds are Against Us’: Nikola Jokic Leads Nuggets to Game 4 Win appeared first on SLAM.

The one issue that remains is the Golden State backcourt. Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and Jordan Poole are still hot, and each was on fire in Game 3.

Steph
Klay
JP
BUCKETS. pic.twitter.com/cKcxHKYLe2

— Golden State Warriors (@warriors) April 22, 2022

Curry and Poole each finished with 27 points apiece, and Thompson dropped 26 points on his own to cancel out a monster 37-point, 18 rebound game by Nikola Jokic to beat the Nuggets 118-113. The Warriors now lead 3-0 in their first-round series with a chance to sweep over the weekend.

The three guards have led a small ball lineup that has been the difference in this series. Each player has had their chance to shine individually and collectively throughout this series. In Game 1, Jordan Poole got rolling with a historic start. Then it was Curry who exploded in Game 2 to eclipse the playoff career 3,000 point mark while scoring a game-high 34 points in only 23 minutes.

In Game 3, all three made history. Thompson passed Ray Allen for third all-time in playoff three-pointers made. Chef Curry passed James Worthy for 26th on the playoff scoring list. As for Jordan Poole, he became the first guard since the merger to score 25 Pts on 60 percent shooting in three straight playoff games. Jerry West, Lou Hudson, and Brian Winters were the only guards to have done it in history, according to ESPN Stats and Information.

Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Jordan Poole are the 3rd trio in Warriors history to each record 25 points and 50% shooting in a playoff game and the first since 1989.

1989: Chris Mullin, Mitch Richmond & Terry Teagle

1958: Neil Johnston, Paul Arizin & Tom Gola pic.twitter.com/wJbmus6noh

— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) April 22, 2022

All three became the first trio in franchise history to record 25 points on 50 percent shooting and the first to do since Chris Mullin, Mitch Redmond, and Terry Teagle did so in 1989.

“He looks like a seasoned vet,” Thompson said about Poole via Yahoo Sports. “The shots he’s been making and taking, he’s kind of been our catalyst on offense. JP, I’ve seen him put in so much work behind the scenes that he deserves this.

“I’m incredibly proud of him.”

Not only is Thompson enjoying his teammate’s play but the opportunity to be back on the floor with his teammates in general.

“So much,” he said when asked how much he missed playoff games on the road. “It’s what you dream of, it’s what you prepare for and I don’t take granted nights like these. That was a ton of fun and just a gutsy win by our squad.

“Everything I worked for the past two years has come to fruition. I’m just incredibly grateful to be here and having fun.”

Golden State will try to close out the series on Sunday.

The post Golden State Warriors Take Command Of Series With Backcourt Brilliance appeared first on SLAM.

After a couple of seasons riddled with injuries and player development, the Warriors started their first playoff run in three years with a newer, more exciting version and have added another shooter to the mix.

The Denver Nuggets have had no answers to defending the Warriors when Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Draymond Green, Andrew Wiggins, and the newest addition, Jordan Poole, have shared the floor. Golden State has gone for momentum-stealing runs in the first two games that have changed momentum or put the game out of reach.

Jordan Poole drops a behind-the-back dime to Klay in transition

The @warriors are on a roll in Q2!#NBAPlayoffs presented by Google Pixel on TNT pic.twitter.com/zsLzLaJyTf

— NBA (@NBA) April 19, 2022

This combination played only five minutes together in Game 1, but they outscored Denver by 14 points to shift the momentum sparking their 123-107 win. In Game 2, they played another five minutes, which led them to move the momentum to their side going into the second half.

After falling behind 43-31 in the second quarter, the Warriors erased that deficit by halftime with runs of 16-0 and 23-4 late to take a 57-51 lead at the break. The trend is not lost on Thompson, who forecasted this type of performance after Game 1.

“It’s a scary sight when we really get going,” Thompson said. “This is really only our first time really playing together.”

The story of this series so far has been Jordan Poole. Poole had yet another strong performance after a historic performance in Game 1, scoring 29 points while putting on another dazzling display that had the Chase Center crowd rocking!

Jordan Poole was dropping dimes and buckets in Game 2 to lift the @warriors to the 2-0 series lead! #DubNation

Poole: 29 PTS (10-16 FGM), 5 REB, 8 AST, 2 STL, 5 3PM

Warriors vs. Nuggets Game 3: Thurs. 10pm/et on TNT#NBAPlayoffs presented by Google Pixel pic.twitter.com/STMdXEiLIm

— NBA (@NBA) April 19, 2022

While the running joke around the team is will Curry ever get back in the starting lineup, SC30 was very impressed with Poole’s play to start the playoffs.

“He doesn’t lack confidence,” Curry said per ESPN. “That play embodied it. Because you just have the creativity and confidence in yourself to make that play. You don’t second-guess yourself. You kind of live with the results, and we’ve done it for years, and he’s stepping into that now. It’s fun to see.”

Game 3 of this, the Warriors-Nuggets series shifts to Denver on Thursday.

The post Warriors Unlock Next Level With New Small Ball Lineup Featuring Jordan Poole appeared first on SLAM.

The Warriors have 12 games left to go in the regular season, and when Curry suffered his sprained left foot, Draymond Green recently returned from his long absence. The trio of Curry, Green, and Klay Thompson has played just 11 minutes together since Thompson went down with a torn ACL in Game 6 of the 2019 NBA Finals.

Be that as it may, the foundational members of the championship Warriors are no strangers to how the other plays. The trio has been pivotal in the League’s move towards smaller lineups and popularizing the pace and space era with their different iterations of the Death Lineup and the Hampton 5. Since 2015, Curry, Green, and Thompson played in five different NBA Finals series, winning three.

The Steph Curry, Klay Thompson, Draymond Green trio has played 11 minutes total together the last three seasons. Difficulty of playoff task rising for a group that hasn’t been able to line all their major pieces up at the same time.

— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) March 17, 2022

Currently, Chef Curry is wearing a walking boot on his left foot. Curry says he hopes to be back on the court and participating in basketball activities by next week but is aware that he must be cautious while recovering from his foot injury.

“From what I’m told, just in terms of ligaments around the injury and the bone that’s underneath there, you want to not rush the beginning phases of healing because that’s when you get the most progress,” Curry said. “Then, when you do put the shoe back on and get back on the court and get reps, you’re not dealing with crazy soreness or anything.”

The post Stephen Curry Confident He Will Return By the Time the Playoff Starts appeared first on SLAM.

The San Francisco Chronicle’s Connor Letourneau reported that the Warriors will try to sign Poole to an extension this summer before becoming a restricted free agent in 2023.

“The Warriors also will try to sign Poole to a multiyear extension this summer, which would allow them to avoid having to deal with him in restricted free agency in 2023,” Letourneau wrote. “Keith Smith, a salary-cap expert for Spotrac, estimates that deal to be in the four-year, $80 million range.”

The timing of this extension would be tremendous for Golden State, as All-Star starter Andrew Wiggins will become an unrestricted free agent following the 2022-23 season. Getting Poole inked on a contract extension gives Dub Nation one less financial thing to worry about.

The 22-year-old is averaging 16.4 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 3.5 assists in 28.8 minutes of run per game. He also leads the NBA in free throw accuracy at 92.2 percent, which is 0.3 percent higher than Stephen Curry. He’s proven to be a capable scorer and able to anchor the second unit.

The former Michigan Wolverine is looking at a possible large payday if he continues this stellar play.

The post REPORT: Warriors Expected to Offer Jordan Poole A Four-Year Extension appeared first on SLAM.

For the 19-year-old Kuminga, a chance is given to showcase his skills against the League’s brightest young stars. Kuminga is averaging 7.9 points and 2.8 rebounds in 14.3 minutes of run per game on the season.

Kuminga put many on notice in the Dubs’ weekend game against the Los Angeles Lakers, recording 18 points, nine rebounds, and one block in 25 minutes. However, what was most impressive is that he was given the dreaded task of guarding LeBron James — and he held his own. The King shot 33.3% percent from the field, the lowest field goal percentage he’s shot in a game this season when playing 35+ minutes.

Kuminga’s performance left teammate Klay Thompson impressed, per NBCSports.

“He just guarded LeBron James for however many minutes, gave us 18 on 11 shots, and almost a double-double — how many more 19-year-olds or 20-year-olds are doing that?”

Kuminga will look to continue his strong rookie campaign by delivering an outstanding performance in the Rising Star game this coming weekend.

The post Jonathan Kuminga Replacing Chris Duarte in the NBA Rising Stars game appeared first on SLAM.

The 31-year-old All-Star came back and showed some new tricks up his sleeve, not only scoring 15 points on 6-12 shooting from the field and shooting 3-5 from three-point range. He handed out six assists as well in a season-high 26 minutes. The most noticeable dime came when Thompson threw a behind-the-back pass to Andrew Wiggins in transition for a layup. Most surprisingly, Thompson ended up three behind-the-back passes.

“Growing up, it’s funny. Coaches try to tell you to fundamentally throw not one-handed passes, but two-handed chest passes,” Thompson told NBA.com. “But if you want to be a complete basketball player, you got to be able to make that behind-the-back play.”

Don’t get it twisted; Thompson can make the simple pass. The 11th overall pick in the 2011 draft just wanted to show off his creativity. Instead of shooting the ball like he usually would, Thompson decided to make the right play, prioritizing the Warriors’ signature team play even more than he does typically. His career-high for assists is eight, achieved in four other regular-season games. He has posted six dimes or more in 25 previous games.

In the seven games he’s played so far, Thompson averages 14.7 points, 2.7 rebounds, and 2.6 assists on 38.8 percent shooting from the field and 33.3 percent shooting from long-distance. The Warriors play the Timberwolves at home on Thursday.

The post Klay Thompson Shows Off Efficiency and Court Vision in Warriors Win Against Mavs appeared first on SLAM.

One of the best shooters to ever touch a basketball made his way back on the court on Sunday against the Cavaliers following 941 days away from the game.

“There’s a few games that you just always remember,” said Warriors Coach Steve Kerr on Saturday. “Certain moments you always remember. I have no doubt that when Klay walks onto the floor for the first time, I will never forget that particular game. It will stand out as one of the highlights of my entire basketball existence.”

Thompson went down with an ACL injury in Game 6 of the 2019 NBA Finals against the Toronto Raptors. He finished the contest with a game-high 30 points on just 12 shots despite leaving the game early.  

Since he last played, so much has changed. The world had shut down due to COVID-19, while the Warriors went through two down seasons where they drafted near the top of the lottery. 

Regardless, Golden State is back on track and has looked like the best team in the NBA to this point in the 2021-22 season. The Warriors (30-9) are once again a legitimate contender and are getting Thompson back at the midway point of the season on Sunday night. 

Known for being a great player on the court, Thompson is also one of the most well-respected players off the court too. As such, past and current players all around the league were excited for his return to action.

Thompson is like brother to his teammates, making it even more emotional for the Warriors entering Sunday’s contest against the Cleveland Cavaliers when he would make his debut. His fellow Splash Brother and close friend Stephen Curry gave his thoughts on the highly anticipated return of Thompson in form of a video tribute.

Draymond Green was on the court for the opening tip against the Cavaliers to honor Thompson but did not participate in the remainder of the game after dealing with some left calf tightness he experienced during pregame warmups.

“He’s a warrior,” Green said in the lead up to Thompson’s return. “No pun intended with that. There’s no other way to describe him. He’s going to give everything he got every time on the floor. What’s why we love him.”

The first points of the game for Golden State came from Thompson. Unexpectedly, it wasn’t a three-pointer that began the next chapter of Thompson’s career. 

Thompson’s first bucket of the season was on a drive to the rim, where he scored in the paint. From there, he would look to get his game going from beyond the arc but went 0-3 from deep before his opening stint of minutes in the first quarter came to an end. 

Thompson wouldn’t made it back to the court until late in the second quarter. However, that’s when he started to show that he was officially back. Despite building a reputation as a shooter, the veteran rose up and threw down a monumental dunk towards the end of the half. 

“To know that I can still do that [dunk] and being able to just get to my spots and rise up and shoot?” Thompson said per ESPN. “It’s only up from here.”

The Warriors had a 51-46 lead when halftime came, with Thompson notching seven points in just eight minutes. Although his shots weren’t falling as often as he would have liked, but he was still making an impact.

Thompson was huge in the third quarter when his quick scoring burst extended the Warriors’ lead into double-digits. From there, they never looked back in the big win.

When it was all said and done, Thompson finished with 17 points on 7-for-18 shooting from the field (3-8 from three-poiIt’serritory) to go along with three rebounds, one assist, and one block. He was the Warriors’ second-leading scorer on the night. 

“I will never forget the reception that Warriors fans gave us, especially myself,” Thompson said on his long awaited return. “Gosh it was fun and it was worth every single day of being away and in that squat rack or on that shuttle board and all the conditioning days. It was worth every single moment.

As he gets acquainted with the team, the game will only start to slow down and feel more natural for Thompson. It’s unclear how much production to expect from him, but when he last played during thee 2018-19 season, he was an NBA All-Star that averaged 21.5 points per game while knocking down over 40.2 percent of his ise-point attempts. 

Thompson was also one of the premier perimeter defenders in the entire NBA, often matching up with an opponents best player. Regardless of what he looks like for the remainder of the season, what is clear is that one of the greatest shooters in the history of the League is officially back. 

“This is only the beginning,” said Thompson as he walked to the locker room after the game.

“Tonight may be the most difficult game he plays in,” said Kerr postgame. “It’s so different from a playoff game. 941 days, with all that frustration and all that disappointment built-in over time, it’s going to be incredibly emotional for the rest of us, so I imagine what it would be like for Klay.”

The Warriors will take on the Grizzlies (28-14) Tuesday night as Thomson continues his return to NBA action. The emotional return couldn’t have gone better for the five-time All-Star and three-time NBA champion. 

The post Klay Thompson Shines in Highly Anticipated Return appeared first on SLAM.

There’s optimism Golden Warriors guard Klay Thompson will make his return vs. the Cleveland Cavaliers on Sunday, sources tell ESPN. A final decision is expected once the Warriors return from a two-game trip on Friday.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) January 3, 2022

The Warriors will reportedly be making their final decision on Friday after returning from their two-game trip. Per Sam Quinn of CBS Sports, when Thompson returns, Coach Steve Kerr will insert the sharpshooter into the starting lineup. As of December, Thompson’s main focus was conditioning so that he could be a high-minute starter with a “smaller role than he is used to.”

Thompson recently went viral after knocking down 24 straight three-pointers in practice on Sunday. The Warriors’ (28-7) next contest is against the Heat (23-14).

24 consecutive 3-pointers for Klay Thompson pic.twitter.com/VvhFubPkfq

— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPointsApp) January 2, 2022

The post REPORT: Optimism That Klay Thompson Will Return on Sunday appeared first on SLAM.

The Warriors do not plan for Klay Thompson to debut on either Dec. 20 or Dec. 23 home games, sources tell me and @anthonyVslater. Thompson won't come back on Christmas. So earliest possible return would be Dec. 28 — with Thompson ramping up conditioning over next couple weeks.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) December 16, 2021

According to Charania, the Warriors do not intend to play Thompson in either of their home games on December 20 against the Kings or December 23 against the Grizzlies. According to NBCSports, the Warriors plan on bringing Thompson back at Chase Center, which implies he won’t play on Christmas when the Warriors play the Suns. The earliest possible date would be December 28, when the Nuggets come to town.

In a radio interview with 95.7 The Game on Tuesday, the Warriors president of basketball operations Bob Myers said that Golden State has not yet determined an exact date for Thompson’s return.

“All is well,” Myers said per Alex Espinoza. “I’m excited for it to happen, too. We haven’t even decided internally when it’ll be. We’ll talk to [director of sports medicine and performance] Rick [Celibrini] and Klay. But the good news is, there’s a light. If you’re in this tunnel, it’s been a long tunnel for Klay, and you can see this light. As the closer we get, like you guys, I want to see him so bad, for our team, for many reasons, for him.”

As of late, Thompson has been in the final stages of his rehab from his Achilles injury and is currently focusing on his conditioning. This season, the Warriors are 23-5 and will play Friday against the Celtics.

The post REPORT: Klay Thompson Likely Won’t Return On Christmas appeared first on SLAM.

When reporters asked Curry if he could hit all 16 when the Warriors (20-4) play the Trail Blazers (11-14) at home on Wednesday, Curry responded:

“Anything is possible,” he said per ESPN.

If Curry were to hit 16 in one night, that would also mean breaking teammate Klay Thompson’s single-game record of 14 set in October 2018, besting Curry’s previous record of 13.

“What is it, 15?” Curry said of tying Allen’s mark per ESPN. “That’s funny because I know what that means is Klay’s record and all that, too. So we will see. … If you’ve seen the way I’ve played, especially recently, I’m not shy about shooting the ball, so the game will dictate what that looks like. I’m not coming out with that as the true goal of how I play, but crazier things have happened.”

While breaking the all-time career and single-game record in one game is improbable, Curry told NBCSports that even though he hasn’t been shy of shooting lately he isn’t going into the Portland game with breaking the record as a goal and that he will allow the pace of the game to dictate what will happen. Over the last three games, Curry has launched 41 triples, 13 against the Magic, 17 against the Spurs, and 11 last Friday against the Suns, knocking down 18 during that same span.

His career-high for three-point shot attempts in one game is 22, in the 2020-21 regular-season finale against the Grizzlies.

If Curry were to test his limitless green-light against one team, his best bet would be to do so against Portland, who rank dead last in the NBA in three-point defense (allowing opponents to shoot 38.9 percent from distance) and defensive rating (112.9).

The post Stephen Curry On Hitting 16 Three’s To Break Ray Allen’s Career Record: ‘Anything Is Possible’ appeared first on SLAM.

The Warriors announced that Thompson and teammate James Wiseman would be scheduled to practice with the Santa Cruz Warriors just days ago. The five-time NBA All-Star was cleared for 5-on-5 scrimmages leading up to hitting the floor with Santa Cruz.

On Monday, the Warriors released footage of 1/2 of the splash brothers back on the court getting shots in during G League practice.

Thompson has been out since Game 6 of the 2019 Finals, where he tore his ACL going on to tear his Achilles tendon during a workout before the start of last season. Hopes are finally high for the three-time champ as he has been given the green light to play ball after two years.

“He’s cleared for full go, so everything we did was full 100 percent he was going,” Santa Cruz’s Head Coach Seth Cooper says (per CBS Sports). “There was no holding him back. There was no pulling back, it was just letting him go and letting him experience playing all out. He did that, and he looked really good doing it… I think he made his first 18 shots.”

With Thompson cleared his Warriors return is around the corner as he is expected to make his debut around Christmas.

“I hate to use the phrase ‘can’t wait,’ because I love to be present in my life,” Thompson says, per CBS Sports. “But I cannot wait. I really, really enjoy being a Warrior.”

The post Klay Thompson Given The Greenlight To Go 100 Percent appeared first on SLAM.

Another step in Klay Thompson’s return process: The Golden State Warriors assigned Thompson to G League Santa Cruz for increased practice reps, sources tell me and @anthonyVslater.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) November 28, 2021

The goal is for Klay to get some practice time in combination with his continued rehabilitation of ACL and Achilles injuries that have kept him out two full seasons. In the meantime, the Golden State Warriors will be on a two-game road trip. Steve Kerr discussed the process briefly before the Warriors’ victory over the Los Angeles Clippers via ESPN.

“Klay will be scrimmaging, and James will continue his work,” Kerr said before Sunday’s game. “I don’t think [Wiseman] is scrimmaging yet, but Klay will be doing 5-on-5.”

Thompson was cleared for contact more than a week ago and has participated in practices for the first time in over two years. Despite different reports of Klay’s eventual return,  with a planned timeline centered around Christmas, Thompson couldn’t conceal his excitement to play with his teammates via CBSSports.com. 

“It’s the first time I played with them on Monday, and that was just a milestone to play with my teammates,” “I don’t fear getting hurt again because the last two times I did get hurt were just a freak accident, you could say. I hate to use the phrase ‘I can’t wait’ because I love to be present in my life, but I cannot wait to play in front of our fans again. I really, really enjoy being a Warrior.”

On Tuesday, the Golden State Warriors will continue their season playing the Phoenix Suns (17-3).

The post Golden State Warriors Send Klay Thompson to G-League For ‘Increased Practice Reps’ appeared first on SLAM.

According to Kerith Burke of NBC Sports, Warriors head coach Steve Kerr said that Klay Thompson is back to playing 5-on-5 basketball and is going “full bore.”

On Tuesday, Thompson also spoke to media, including Nick Friedell of ESPN, and talked about his return to play and how excited he is to be back on the court.

“It’s so exciting … the boring stuff’s behind me — I’m just incredibly grateful to be out there,” Thomspon said per Friedell.

Thompson has been out since the 2019 NBA Finals, missing the entirety of the 2019-20 season with a torn ACL and all of the 2020-2021 campaign with a torn Achilles injury.

When Thompson was last suited up for Golden State, he was one of the league’s best two-way players. Thompson has accumulated five All-Star appearances, was named to two All-NBA teams and was a member of the 2018-19 All-Defensive team.

Over his career, Thompson is averaging 19.5 points per game and is shooting 41.9 percent from distance.

So far this season, the Warriors have the best record in the NBA, sitting at 15-2 one game above the reigning Western Conference champion Phoneix Suns.

The post Klay Thompson on Return to Playing Basketball: ‘It’s so Exciting’ appeared first on SLAM.

However, according to Mark Haynes, head coach Steve Kerr says that he “didn’t know where that came from.”

Steve Kerr said nobody has told him Klay Thompson is fully cleared to practice with the team. “I don’t know where that came from.”

— Mark Haynes (@markhaynesnba) November 21, 2021

What is clear about Thompson’s return is that it will be his first game since he tore his ACL in Game 6 of the 2019 NBA Finals. After sitting out all of the following season, a torn right Achilles tendon prior to the 2020-21 season kept him out for yet another full season. As of this past weekend, it is coming up on 900 days since Klay Thompson has played an NBA game.

The Golden State Warriors improved their NBA-best record to 15-2 after beating the Toronto Raptors 119-104 on Sunday. They match up against the Philadelphia 76ers on Wednesday night.

The post REPORT: Klay Thompson Cleared as ‘Full-Time Participant’ For Practices appeared first on SLAM.

When Curry exploded for 20 fourth-quarter points to help the Warriors come from behind and beat the Cleveland Cavaliers 104-89, he hit the 40 point plateau, but this time with a caveat.

In his 40-point showcase, Curry only went to the free-throw line once. According to ESPN Stats and Info, Curry’s career marked the third time that he has scored 40 points with one or no free throw attempts, which is the most in NBA history. He passed his teammate and fellow “Splash Brother,” Thompson for most career games in that category. They represent the only two players in NBA history who have achieved the feat multiple times.

Thursday was Stephen Curry’s 3rd career 40-point game with 1 or no free throw attempts, passing his Splash Brother, Klay Thompson for the most in NBA history.

They’re the only 2 players in NBA history with multiple such games.

Two of Curry’s games have come this November. pic.twitter.com/ZAJZ3DXnPp

— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) November 19, 2021

Thursday was Stephen Curry’s 3rd career 40-point game with one or no free throw attempts, passing his Splash Brother, Klay Thompson, for the most in NBA history.

They’re the only two players in NBA history with multiple such games.

Two of Curry’s games have come this November. pic.twitter.com/ZAJZ3DXnPp

— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) November 19, 2021

Warriors head coach Steve Kerr spoke on Steph’s unique accomplishments via Yahoo! Sports.

“Nothing surprises me anymore, and yet I’m amazed if that makes sense,” coach Steve Kerr said of Curry after the win vs. the Cavs. “It’s still incredible to watch, but you sort of expect it. That’s what greatness is about … you sort of expect something to happen, and then he does it, and you’re just in awe.” 

The Warriors now have an NBA-best 14-2 record going into their matchup against the Toronto Raptors on the road.

The post Stephen Curry Passes Klay Thompson For A Special 3 Point Record appeared first on SLAM.

Another key player to the team, Draymond Green, chimed in when speaking with Michael Lee of the Washington Post about the lack of respect he feels those teams, and Durant, got for their success.

“Everybody criticized it. Everybody criticized Kevin. Everybody criticized us. They didn’t appreciate it,” said Green. “But people usually don’t appreciate greatness until they no longer have it. We appreciated it. And that’s all that matters.”

Those Warriors teams were truly great, too, racking up five consecutive NBA Championship appearances from 2015 to 2019, winning three NBA Championships, and having the best regular season in NBA history in 2015-16, going 73-9.

And don’t look now, but the Warriors – minus Durant – are off to another hot start this season, thanks to Green and Steph Curry. So far this year, the Warriors are an NBA best 13-2 and still are awaiting the return of All-Star Klay Thompson and James Wiseman.

Durant is currently plying his trade on the east coast with the Brooklyn Nets, who are also starting the season strong tied for first in the Eastern Conference at 11-5. The Warriors complete a back-to-back Friday against the Pistons (4-10) while the Nets play the Magic (4-11) the same night.

The post Draymond Green On Warriors Dynasty: ‘Everybody Criticized Us’ appeared first on SLAM.

And although the Warriors have stood out as a clear early title favorite, there are still some naysayers for the most part.

Klay Thompson, in an interview with Sports Illustrated, got the chance to address the people who doubted the Warriors.

“I love it,” Thompson told Sports Illustrated last week, “I love it. I hope people keep doubting us. I saw somebody on the TV the other day talking about, ‘The Warriors aren’t contenders because they’ve had a soft schedule.’ Buddy, we got the MVP, a defensive player of the year. That kind of disrespect bothers me. We have so many champions, guys who have done it in the highest pressure moments, and you’re still gonna question our ability? I love it. But whatever. That’s what talking heads are paid to do.”

The Warriors are currently 12-2 record coming into their Tuesday matchup against the Brooklyn Nets and will look to continue their strong start to the season. While Thompson hasn’t suited up for the Golden State Warriors this season, he is close to returning, according to sources to the team.

League insider Adrian Wojnarowski reported that Thompson could return before Christmas, as soon as December 20 or December 23, which are two home games. The Warriors return to the court against the Cavs, Thursday.

In their 117-99 win against the Nets, Tuesday, TNT sideline reporter Allie LaForce reported that Warriors head coach Steve Kerr told her Thompson is playing 5-on-5 for the first time Monday.

“We got a big update from Steve Kerr right before the game that Klay Thompson, for the first time yesterday, was able to play 5-on-5,” LaForce said. “That’s the next step in his progression after two years of not playing basketball. … It’s going to take a lot of 5-on-5 to get him back in basketball conditioning and basketball shape.”

The post Klay Thompson: ‘I Hope People Keep Doubting’ appeared first on SLAM.

Klay Thompson is set to make his return to action this season. According to Jordan Schultz, he is making “steady progress” and is 5-6 weeks away stepping back on the court in game action. 

He is reportedly in “great shape” and close to playing 5-on-5 in practice, which is paramount to him being cleared. With this timeline, it appears Thompson could return before the calendar changes to the year 2022. In fact, Christmas Day against the Phoenix Suns could be the perfect return. 

On his career, Thompson has posted averages of 19.5 points per game while shooting 41.9% from deep. Regardless of what he looks like upon his return, he will should be an excellent shooter at minimum.

The post REPORT: Klay Thompson Just Weeks Away From NBA Return appeared first on SLAM.

In a press release on Monday, the Warriors gave an update on Thompson’s status, saying that the former All-Star guard is making ‘good progress’ and is on pace for a return during the season.

Golden State also mentioned that Thompson will participate in various controlled drills in training camp and that his return to full practices will be determined at a later time. 

His health is extremely important for the Warriors, as they look to get back to the championship caliber team they were prior to Thompson’s injury. He’s coming off of five-consecutive NBA All-Star appearances in seasons that he has played and was a key piece of Golden State winning three NBA Championships. 

During the 2018-19 season when he was last healthy, Thompson averaged 21.5 points per game while shooting 40.2 percent from deep and was an elite perimeter defender. 

The Warriors need Thompson if they’re going to contend and all signs are pointing to a return this season. 

The post Klay Thompson is Making Good Progress In Achilles Rehab appeared first on SLAM.

The 31-year-old now out of his walking boot and beginning mobility exercises to strengthen his calf muscle.

Thompson, a five-time All-Star and three-time NBA champion, missed the entire 2019-20 season with a torn left ACL that he sustained during Game 6 of the 2019 NBA Finals. Despite the recovery from his latest major injury being on schedule, he’s still set to miss the entirety of the 2020-21 season as well with Achilles tears typically taking nine to 12 months to heal.

Golden State, in the midst of a dynastic run that saw them head to five straight NBA Finals while revolutionizing how the game is played, finished the 2019-20 season with the worst record in the NBA (15-20) but have played better to start the 2020-21 season (12-12).

Though a .500 record is a far cry from the dominance that they’re used to displaying, team leader Stephen Curry has quietly put together his best season since he won MVP in 2016. Former first overall pick Andrew Wiggins has settled into role, averaging an efficient 17.6 points per game while making his mark on both ends.

That said, when Thompson returns, the Warriors will lean on the sharpshooter to excel in his three-and-D role.

Should Thompson look anywhere close to the player he was pre-injury, the league could be in trouble once again. Universally regarded as one of the most lethal spot-up shooters in NBA history, the California native is in the top-20 in career 3-pointers and has the fifth-highest 3-point percentage among active players.

The post Klay Thompson’s Recovery From Achilles Injury on Schedule appeared first on SLAM.

After tearing his ACL in the 2019 NBA Finals and going through rigorous rehab, Thompson suffered a torn right Achilles’ tendon when he was able to start working out on the court once again prior to the 2020-21 season. 

Thompson recently told NBC Bay Area that he is taking his rehab as serious as ever, with the long-term on his mind. 

“It kills me every day, but I plan on playing for a long time and don’t want to have any mishaps come this rehab.”

Although Thompson didn’t necessarily rush back from his original injury, it’s great to see that he’s being even more cautious this time around. While he is unlikely to play at all during the course of the current season, he should still have plenty to contribute next season and beyond when he becomes fully healthy. 

In the 2018-19 season when Thompson was last healthy, he averaged 21.5 points per game while shooting .402 from beyond the arc. 

The post Klay Thompson: ‘I Plan On Playing For A Long Time’ appeared first on SLAM.

Although some feel like Wiggins has been disappointing since his arrival in the NBA, he has not let the naysayers affect his confidence and hopes for his future with the Dubs:

“Everyone has something to say. Everyone has their own opinions and stuff. You only can control what you do, how you do things. That’s my thought process,” Wiggins said, per CBS Sports. “I’m coming into the season, I want to do what I have to do to help the team win, and I think I can do it.”

According to Colin Ward-Henninger of CBS Sports, “inefficient scorer” is one of the many negative connotations that have been attached to Wiggins; name—although he averaged 19.4 points last season and 22.4 the year before with the Timberwolves.

Wiggins will be expected to be a leader in scoring while the other half of the Splash Brothers is out for the season after suffering a torn Achilles tendon.

Warriors GM Bob Myers had hopes of Wiggins playing a pivotal role next to Steph Curry and Thompson, but with the change-up in the team’s dynamic, he now has different expectations for him:

“We’ll see what Andrew can do. He’ll probably get more opportunity offensively than he would have, and that’s not something we wanted — probably not something he wanted,” Myers said of Wiggins’ revised role. “He’d love to share the ball with a Klay Thompson, give Andrew space. But he still hasn’t played with Steph or Klay or Draymond much for that matter — a little bit. So we’ll see. We’ll see what he does.”

The post Andrew Wiggins Could Be A Crucial Component To The Warriors appeared first on SLAM.

The injury occurred during a pickup game in Southern Californa on Wednesday, per ESPN’s Marc Spears. Thompson needed to be helped off the court.

Thompson will be forced to miss a second consecutive season after he sat out the 2019-20 campaign with a torn ACL in his left knee. He hasn’t played in an NBA game since Game 6 of the 2019 NBA Finals.

He’s expected to make a full recovery.

The Warriors had hopes of bouncing back in 2020-21 with their championship trio of Stephen Curry, Thompson and Draymond Green returning to the court.

Without Thompson, who will make $35.4 million next season, Golden State may have to temper expectations for next season.

After Wednesday’s NBA Draft, Warriors GM Bob Myers spoke to the media about how Thompson’s injury could alter the team’s roster plans. “We needed wing depth anyway,” he said.

After the news broke of Thompson’s season-ending injury, NBA and WNBA players alike took to social media to wish Thompson a speedy recovery.

Come on basketball gods this is not fair!!! @KlayThompson wishing you speedy recovery.

— Goran Dragić (@Goran_Dragic) November 19, 2020

Damn @KlayThompson prayers up for a healthy recovery

— Robert Covington (@Holla_At_Rob33) November 19, 2020

small thing to a giant https://t.co/TnYFsv6q9C

— Breanna Stewart (@breannastewart) November 19, 2020

Prayers up for my man @KlayThompson hate to see stuff like this! https://t.co/LmLXd4ut6T

— Eric Paschall (@epaschall) November 19, 2020

@KlayThompson

— 13am Adebayo (@Bam1of1) November 19, 2020

Man that’s tough… get well Klay praying for you https://t.co/cx5B5fiO7c

— Jusuf Nurkić (@bosnianbeast27) November 19, 2020

Bro was looking unbelievable too smh! Speedy Recovery Bro… the game needs you @KlayThompson https://t.co/VXDrHzhUIk

— Myles Turner (@Original_Turner) November 19, 2020

Praying for @KlayThompson

— Isaiah Thomas (@isaiahthomas) November 19, 2020

This is awful news! Praying for a healthy recovery https://t.co/XXR7JcKDZ6

— Nikola Vucevic (@NikolaVucevic) November 19, 2020

Wow. for @KlayThompson! His comeback story is going to be epic. https://t.co/ajKZkoH02g

— Danielle Robinson (@justDROB) November 19, 2020

@KlayThompson

— Patrick Beverley (@patbev21) November 19, 2020

Praying for @KlayThompson hoping he has a speedy recovery! Smh

— Rudy Gay (@RudyGay) November 19, 2020

that sucks man. Praying for him https://t.co/o4wfqdRO0m

— Anfernee Simons (@AnferneeSimons) November 19, 2020

https://t.co/RtTvs3yUOC

— Lexie Brown (@lexiekiah_4) November 19, 2020

@KlayThompson praying for you bro! God speed https://t.co/CijEaOkjJV

— Bobby BP Portis (@BPortistime) November 19, 2020

Damn Klay

— Bria Hartley (@Breezyyy14) November 19, 2020

Never like to see a brotha go Down!!! Prayers up https://t.co/Ls2EcVDJZh

— Langston Galloway (@LangGalloway10) November 19, 2020

The post Klay Thompson Suffers Torn Achilles Tendon appeared first on SLAM.

News broke earlier in the day that Thompson had sustained a heel injury but the suspicion that its his Achilles significantly impacts the timeline for a potential return.

The rehabilitation process for an Achilles tear could easily take Thompson through the 2020-21 season meaning that we may not see him in action until the 2021-2022 campaign.

Thompson will undergo an MRI and more details will be revealed when that happens.

The post Warriors Fear Klay Thompson Has Torn Achilles appeared first on SLAM.

They’re in a unique spot, as teams that are set to be title favorites don’t typically have such a high pick in the draft. Golden State has a decision to make on whether they use the pick or trade it.

The Warriors have a handful of NBA All-Stars in Steph Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green who all have very different personalities. 

What kind of input do these three have on the Warriors’ upcoming draft decision? President of Basketball Operations and General Manager Bob Myers recently spoke with 95.7 FM The Game about how each of these individuals approach the draft process and how involved they are. 

“Klay doesn’t care. He’ll show up at training camp and be like: ‘Is that the guy right there? That the guy we drafted there?’

Are we surprised? Certainly not, as Thompson is the soft-spoken type of player who will walk onto the court and give you buckets regardless of who you put around him. 

“Steph is different. He’s almost like ‘I trust you to do what you do if you think it’s right.’ If I call Steph and ask him, he’ll give an opinion.”

It sounds like Curry will give input if they need it, but if not, he trusts the decisions of the front office. For what it’s worth, the front office has earned this respect considering their recent draft history with Curry, Thompson and Green all being original Warriors selections. 

Draymond cares. Draymond loves it, he’s a junky…But Draymond is the uninvited commentary. He’ll do it no matter what you say or what you think. So it’s a good blend.”

On the far end of this spectrum and the opposite of Thompson is Draymond Green. Whether Myers and the rest of the front office want input or not, they’re getting it from him. All three of these guys have very different approaches to the draft, but as Bob Myers said, it’s a good blend. 

The post Golden State’s Very Different Stars Have Unique Approaches to Draft appeared first on SLAM.

According to head coach Steve Kerr, Thompson has gotten positive feedback from his coaching staff on recent workouts.

“He’s doing well,” Kerr told Monte Poole of NBC Sports. “He worked out here at the facility for several days in a row, maybe four or five days in a row with [assistant coach] Chris DeMarco and Chris gave me really positive updates..”

Kerr would go on to talk about what he’s been able to see of his star shooting guard with his own eyes. 

“I was here for a couple of those days and got a chance to see him,” Kerr said. “Klay looks great and he’s anxious to play, so we’re excited about that.“

Prior to his injury, Thompson was one of the best guards in the NBA and a key piece to the Warriors’ recent championship runs. In the 2018-19 season, which was Thompson’s last time to play, he averaged 21.5 points per contest on .402 shooting from beyond the arc. 

The post Klay Thompson ‘Looks Great’, ‘Anxious To Play’ appeared first on SLAM.

“I actually never wanted to come out West,” recalls Paul, who was hooping for the then-New Orleans Hornets.

Former Dubs general manager, Larry Riley, has refuted that a blockbuster swap for CP3 was ever discussed.

Per NBC Sports Bay Area:

“Yeah, I remember it. True story,” Paul told Maverick Carter and Paul Rivera.

“Yep. that happened with a few teams. I actually never wanted to come out West. I’m born and raised on the East Coast, so I never was crazy about [Los Angeles] and all that until I finally got out here and lived out here. But at that time, all I really knew about The Bay, because I had been there to play the games, and everything was so hilly … “

The deal fell through when Paul said he wouldn’t re-sign with the Warriors, who at the time, were not yet a consistent NBA playoff team.

“First off, that’s false. That never took place,” Riley said on 95.7 The Game on April 17. “And therefore, I think everyone learned something. When you — I had to tell my mother this because she grew up in the days of Walter Cronkite — when you see something on TV or you read it in the newspaper, it’s not necessarily true.”

Related Chris Paul Appreciated Blake Griffin a ‘Lot More After’ Leaving Clippers

The post ‘True Story’: Chris Paul Rejected 2011 Trade to Warriors appeared first on SLAM.

Golden State was “unstoppable” with Durant—who suffered a ruptured Achilles against the Raptors in Game 5 of the championship round—says Green, adding that he’s confident they will get back to the mountaintop.

Draymond believes KD could’ve pushed for him to get traded if he wanted to remain with the Dubs, and that things truly soured for the two-time NBA Finals MVP when he wasn’t universally recognized as the world’s best player after outdueling LeBron James for the 2017 title.

Per Bleacher Report and NBC Sports Bay Area:

“Once we got Kevin, we were f**king unstoppable,” Green said on the “All the Smoke” podcast. “Even losing last year, Kevin don’t get hurt—you seen the game he came back in Game 5, I looked up, it was like six minutes to go, we had like 40 points in the first quarter—and so they wouldn’t have stood a chance if Kevin didn’t get hurt.”

He then discussed the narrative that KD left the Warriors in free agency because of him:

“This is f**king Kevin Durant we’re talking about. Yeah, I’ve done great things here. But let me tell you this — if Kevin really wanted to be here, all he would have done is went to [GM] Bob [Myers] and said, ‘Yeah, I’ll stay. But Draymond gotta go.’ And guess what — Bob Myers would have called me and said, ‘Draymond, I love you — and I won’t trade you to a bad team — but where do you want to go?’

“So to try to point the finger and say, ‘Oh man, I left because of him.’ Get the f**k outta here. I still love K. His feelings about me may not be the same. But I’ll ride with him for the rest of my life. I got that type of love for that brother. But you ain’t leave because of me. You’re fking Kevin Durant. If you wanted to be here, I would have been out. I would have been long gone.

“And guess who would have understood that? (he points at himself). I understand the business of basketball … he ain’t f**king leave because of me. That’s just the real.”

Related Agent: Media Didn’t Drive Kevin Durant from Warriors

The post Draymond Green: Raptors ‘Wouldn’t Have Stood a Chance’ vs Healthy Kevin Durant appeared first on SLAM.

Green saw similarities between how things unraveled for both the dynastic Chicago Bulls and his Dubs after watching “The Last Dance.”

Draymond says his former teammate, who left Golden State to sign with the Brooklyn Nets, should have addressed his contractual situation with the group before play began.

Per ESPN:

“It definitely hit close to home,” Green said on Uninterrupted’s “WRTS: After Party” show with Paul Rivera and Maverick Carter. “Ironically, our season was the 20-year anniversary of that season. And we have a very important piece of our season, who was a piece of that season, which was Steve Kerr. I think Phil [Jackson] did what was great, which is acknowledge the elephant in the room. Because all year, if Phil doesn’t do that, all year everyone else is dealing with that somewhere. And whether it’s coming in questions [from the media], so now once you get these questions from the media, we’ve already addressed that as a team. We really don’t need to talk about that. And our season was a little different from the standpoint of it was contracts, but it was on players. It wasn’t necessarily the organization.”

“So, for instance, Kevin took the one-year deal on his own. So that was kind of the elephant in the room,” Green said. “And although Steve’s approach was like, ‘Hey, guys, let’s approach this year because we don’t know what next year brings,’ you’ve got Kevin’s contract, you’ve got [Klay Thompson]’s contract, and I kind of got thrown in that contract thing, although I had another year after that year, which was this year. And so that was kind of the elephant in the room, and although Steve would kind of hit on it, [saying], ‘Let’s just enjoy this year for what it is because we don’t know what next year holds,’ it didn’t necessarily carry the same weight because what should have happened was Kevin come out and say, ‘Hey, man, this is it, so let’s do this,’ or, ‘This isn’t it.'”

What bothered both Warriors players and coaches throughout the season was that they were constantly asked what Durant would do when the campaign ended, and Durant never publicly committed to a decision — a fact that Green expounded upon during the show.

“But you can’t just leave the elephant in the room, because what happened was the question came to us every day, like every time we spoke to the media, Klay and myself was asked about our contract,” Green said. “It was strictly due to Kevin, because while that was going on, Klay was saying, ‘I want to be a Warrior forever. I want to be here. We started this thing. This is where I want to be.’ I’m saying, ‘Yo, I want to be here for my career. We started this, we built this, I want to finish my career here with the guys I started it with.’ And then you kind of had Kevin, [saying] like, ‘I don’t know what I’m going to do next year, and it don’t matter’; but it does matter, because you’re not the only person that has to answer that question.

“To be quite frank with you, you’re honestly the last person that has to answer the question because you don’t really say sh*t. Like, you don’t say much to the media. If anything, you tell them to shut the f**k up. Well, I don’t tell them to shut the f**k up. I kind of have a conversation, and so I’m stuck answering that question all the time. And due to that, there was always an elephant in the room amongst us, as opposed to with [the Bulls], they didn’t have that elephant. [General manager Jerry Krause] had said it was Phil’s last year. Phil had told them this was the last dance. Mike already said, ‘Well, if Phil ain’t coming back next year, I’m not either.’ So everybody knew it was Mike’s last year. They didn’t have that elephant. Whereas I think we had a huge elephant sitting in the room, and Steve was trying to address it as best as he could, but it was kind of out of his hands.”

Related Kevin Durant: ‘Started Isolating Myself’ After Draymond Green Incident

The post Draymond Green: Kevin Durant Free Agency Was ‘Elephant in the Room’ appeared first on SLAM.

The Dubs’ braintrust is “very excited” about Wiggins’ potential next season, and beyond.

Lacob adds that Golden State’s sudden and unexpected rebuild perhaps isn’t the worst thing that could have happened to them.

Per NBC Sports Bay Area (via “The TK Show“):

“Our coaching staff is very excited about Andrew and how he may fit here going forward,” Warriors owner Joe Lacob told Tim Kawakami of The Athletic on Thursday. “Very hard — it’s so hard — to find wings right now in the NBA with good positional size and athleticism.

“He’s a walking 20 points. He’s gonna go out there and he’s gonna get you 20 points in any game. He’s capable of doing a lot more than that. But that’s pretty good.”

The 25-year-old averaged 19.4 points, 4.6 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 1.3 steals and 1.4 blocks, while shooting nearly 46 percent overall and just under 34 percent from 3-point range.

“When Harrison Barnes was with us — and I loved Harrison, different kind of player a little bit — but we would sit there and say, ‘If we can just get him to get 20 points in a game it would really help,'” he said. “You know (you’ve got a) good chance to win a game if you got three guys scoring 20 in a game. And we needed that.”

Related Draymond Green: Andrew Wiggins ‘Not a F**king Bum’

The post Warriors Owner: Andrew Wiggins a ‘Walking 20 Points’ appeared first on SLAM.

Klay tore his left ACL in Game 6 of last summer’s NBA Finals, but no longer has “any kind of limp — no kind of soreness,” says the elder Thompson.

With the League on lockdown due to the coronavirus global pandemic, the 30-year-old five-time All-Star is rehabbing on his own.

Per NBC Sports Bay Area:

“He’s feeling good. He’s working out on his own. He’s doing all of his drills. He says he feels good,” Klay’s father, Mychal, said Monday during a radio appearance on 95.7 The Game. “He walks around without any kind of limp — no kind of soreness.

“He says he’s feeling great and he’ll be ready to go at full speed next year.”

At this point in time, unfortunately, nobody knows when “next year” will begin.

“He’s going to be so ready to play next year and so excited and the rehab is coming along really well,” coach Steve Kerr told Tim Kawakami of The Athletic a couple weeks ago. “So I have no doubt that — assuming everything starts in September and October like it usually does — that Klay and Steph will be in great shape and ready to roll.”

Related Steve Kerr: ‘It’s Been a Really, Really Hard Season’ for Klay Thompson

The post Klay Thompson ‘Ready to Go at Full Speed Next Year’ appeared first on SLAM.

Kerr understood Thompson being so frustrated with rehab that he needed time away from the team.

Golden State scraped the bottom of the barrel, compiling a 15-50 record this season prior to everything suddenly grinding to a halt due to the coronavirus global pandemic.

Per The Athletic:

He was quite visible on the bench at most home games, but in the Warriors’ day-to-day activities, Klay was a lot less present than ]Stephen] Curry has been. Obviously, Klay had his ACL rehab and the frustration of knowing that he couldn’t play this season. And maybe that leads to a very energetic Klay Thompson season in 2020-21.

“It’s been a really, really hard season for Klay,” Kerr said. “He loves to play basketball so much and just not being able to play has crushed him. And so he was, unlike Steph, over the last couple, few months, he hasn’t been around as often as Steph was. I was OK with that just because it was so frustrating for Klay just to be at practice watching and not really being able to do anything.

“Finally over the last few weeks he was able to start shooting with our guys, running through some drills and he was so happy to be out there. But for much of the season, it was just about getting away and not torturing himself by watching us play. He’s going to be so ready to play next year and so excited and the rehab is coming along really well, so I have no doubt that assuming everything starts in September and October like it usually does that Klay and Steph will be in great shape and ready to roll.”

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“You add one guy and it can change everything,” says Lacob.

Stephen Curry is expected to re-join Golden State’s lineup next month, with Lacob adding that he has zero interest in tanking.

Per USA Today:

“The great thing about this is we can re-imagine the next dynasty,” owner Joe Lacob told USA TODAY Sports during the NBA’s Tech Summit during All-Star weekend. “I think it’s been a good year for us to take stock with where we’re at and try to recreate.”

Oh yeah, and the Warriors expect to have a fully healthy Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Draymond Green and Kevon Looney next season.

“You add one guy and it can change everything,” Lacob said. “We already happen to have two of the greatest shooters of all time. Look at the games. We’ve only been losing by six or eight points. But add those two guys, and we’re already pretty good. I think [Andrew] Wiggins is going to help a lot.”

[Curry] has spent the past month completing various shooting workouts.

“Steph is coming back. That’s not even a discussion internally,” Lacob said. “He’s ready to play so he should play. By the way, we’ll try to win every game. I’m not really about, ‘Let’s lose every game so we can get the best pick.’ You try to do that, you’re messing with the basketball gods. So we don’t believe in that.”

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The Golden State faithful and his former team showed Iguodala nothing but love, of course.

The 36-year-old veteran forward played 17 minutes in the Miami Heat’s 113-101 road win.

Per The Mercury News:

In six seasons with the Warriors, Iguodala made possible small-ball lineups with his versatility, helped win three championships and earned Finals MVP in 2015. Last summer, they traded him to the Grizzlies in order to get under the hard cap triggered after the Warriors sign-and-traded for D’Angelo Russell.

“I had a Romo moment,” Iguodala said, nodding to CBS NFL broadcaster Tony Romo, who often guesses teams’ plays before they happen. “I think I sniffed it out before it happened. I’ve been around the game for a while, and you see how things are playing and you see how a domino effect can happen.”

Meanwhile, during a lottery-bound season, the Warriors are feeling his absence. Golden State reached the playoffs in each of Iguodala’s six seasons, and head coach Steve Kerr often references how much they miss the length and basketball IQ that helped start a dynasty.

“It’s strange to see him in another uniform,” Kerr said. “But I think he landed in a great spot.”

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Lacob says the swap for Wiggins in exchange for D’Angelo Russell at last week’s trade deadline is a “great deal for us.”

Golden State’s braintrust acknowledged that Russell was a poor fit in their scheme.

Per The Athletic:

Was trading Russell before he played a full season with the Warriors a sign that management miscalculated his value and the Warriors’ ability to fit him in?

“What people don’t understand is that if we lost Kevin Durant (straight up in free agency), we would’ve got nothing,” Lacob said. “We just got somewhat fortunate that he went to Brooklyn and we were able to get a sign-and-trade for a guy that is a good player. Questionable whether he was going to be a fit. You’ve heard (Steve) Kerr’s comments. I mean, everyone knew that. But we were hopeful. And you want to have a positive attitude. And we didn’t have Steph and Klay to play with him this year, so I don’t think that we had a fair test. But I think … there was a chance that we were going to make a move at some point that maybe made more sense. There was a chance. And it just turned out that we did it now. We got what we wanted. I think if I would’ve bet before the trade deadline, I probably would’ve said we would’ve re-evaluated in the summer, gone through the whole year. But we were fortunate. We got what we wanted, and we did it.”

Does he believe that (Stephen) Curry, (Klay) Thompson, (Draymond) Green, Wiggins, (Kevon) Looney and whomever else the Warriors can add to that next season is a group that can win a championship?

“I think we’re going to be really good,” Lacob said. “We almost beat — well, we stayed competitive with the Lakers (Sunday night.) They played all their guys and we lost by what, five points. And we didn’t have arguably our three best players (Curry, Thompson and Green). So you tell me. The reason we didn’t win the game tonight is we didn’t have enough perimeter scoring. It’s not football, one player can make a huge difference. We’ve got two great ones coming back. Arguably the two greatest shooters of all time. So I feel pretty damn good, and our fan base should feel great about our future.”

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The incident factored in Durant’s decision to bolt from Golden State as an unrestricted free agent.

“I just started isolating myself after that,” Durant told Matt Barnes and Stephen Jackson on the latest “All The Smoke” podcast episode.

“They suspended Draymond, but it was just like, they had to so it won’t look bad to everybody else. And then nobody talked to me about it…It happened in front of the whole team and nobody really talked about it.

“It was just swept under the rug. And to me, it was just like, we’re a family. Even if he said that, we could move past it. Let’s all talk about. Let’s just say how we all felt about that moment because that’s a huge moment in this whole dynasty. Don’t just sweep it under the rug because we want to win. That’s the reason why we’re not going to win… And when that didn’t happen, I was just like, ‘Fuck it. Let me just hoop and worry about myself.'”

KD says he was determined to join the Dubs in the summer of 2016 while hooping for the OKC Thunder, regardless of the outcome of their legendary seven-game battle in the Western Conference Finals.

“My mind was already thinking about how can I develop my game more so than the Warriors vs. Thunder, that rivalry. Like, even if it was a rivalry, I didn’t give a fuck. I just wanted to keep developing my game, you know what I’m saying,” said Durant.

“They’re a new fresh team, they’re on the rise. I fuck with them. So me going there, it didn’t matter if [OKC] would have won or lost the series. I wanted to play there and live in The Bay.

“It’s like a different culture. It doesn’t even feel like you’re in California. The Bay is like its own thing. I can’t even explain it. I really felt like I stamped myself as a legend in The Bay. I’m not even comparing myself to guys that have won in the bay like Jerry Rice and Joe Montana, but winning back-to-back in The Bay — that’s forever.”

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“Sometimes you just have a feeling about things,” says Kerr.

Kerr adds that he never discussed KD’s looming free agency with him, and that he “totally respected” his right to bolt for the Brooklyn Nets.

Per The San Fran Chronicle:

“We could just feel it last year,” Kerr said. “He just sort of faded from the group by the end of the year. Sometimes you just have a feeling about things. We never discussed his free agency. That wasn’t my business, even though I was his coach. I was focused on that season and I wanted our whole team to focus on that season. Every effort of our staff went into whatever team we were playing.

“Whatever a player does in free agency is up to him, so I totally respected Kevin’s right to make a new path for himself in life.”

Kerr told [Yahoo’s Chris] Haynes that he was not surprised when Durant left the team.

Related Kevin Durant: Draymond Green Incident Factored into Leaving the Warriors

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Golden State currently owns the NBA’s worst record at 4-18, and Kerr says he’s focused on “teaching and developing young players” instead of wins and losses.

Prior to their present injury-plagued predicament, the Dubs had enjoyed five consecutive years of being No. 1 in the Western Conference, winning three NBA titles along the way.

Per The AP:

“I think I’ve learned how to be a better coach, honestly,” Kerr said. “I haven’t had to coach a situation like this and it’s a good reminder that every circumstance is different, every year is different. The last five years, we’ve been a championship contender, so it meant that I had to manage the team through the season, prepare for the playoffs and try to get guys rest when we could. This is much more about teaching and developing young players.”

Kerr lost 15 games in his first regular season with the Warriors, 15 more in his third season. The Warriors won the NBA title in each of those years.

This season, they’ve already passed that 15-loss mark — with about 75% of the season left to play. Golden State wasn’t planning to push the reset button this season but found itself with no choice.

“I’m lucky. I’ve got a great staff,” Kerr said. “Mike Brown and Ron Adams have really helped me this year because they’ve both been through this before, coaching really young teams that have struggled. And I’m learning a lot myself. It’s a good dynamic for my own career, to go through this and to feel it.”

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Stephen Curry‘s daughter, Riley, recently quizzed his teammate Draymond Green about why Golden State is piling up so many losses.

The 29-year-old is re-tooling—”get back to my offensive game pre-Kevin Durant Warriors”—and taking a philosophical approach to this most unpleasant (and unfamiliar) of seasons.

Per The Athletic:

“The other day, I was getting them out of the family room after the (Celtics) game and Riley Curry was in there,” Green says of Curry’s oldest daughter. “She’s like: ‘Did we lose?’ I’m like, ‘Yeah, Riley, we lost.’ She’s like: ‘Why do we keep losing?’”

Green resisted the urge to point over at Riley’s father, mention that giant cast over his left hand and explain that, well, that’s the reason they keep losing. Young Draymond fumed when he lost at “Madden.” He didn’t care about nuances or realistic excuses. Riley won’t. So, Green says, he just told her “we’ll get better.”

“But once I answer (my kids), they’re on to the next thing,” Green says. “It’s: ‘Oh, OK, let’s go do this, let’s have fun, it’s time for you to be the tickle monster.’ I have to get home, do bath time, be present for my fiancée. Perspective.”

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Kerr says “we have to understand” that recovery from a torn ACL typically lasts a year.

Kerr attempted to clarify his comments while chatting up reporters Monday afternoon: “I wasn’t announcing anything. He’s doing great with his rehab. It’s still possible he could play.”

Per NBC Sports Bay Area:

“It’s unlikely that he’s going to play this year,” Steve Kerr recently told NBC Sports Bay Area. “So we have to understand that.”

Thompson, who suffered the knee injury during Game 6 of the NBA Finals, had surgery July 2, and has said he hopes to play after the NBA All-Star break in February. Recent history, however, suggests that might not be possible.

“You have to look at it realistically,” the Warriors coach said. “I had an ACL [tear] in college, and I missed a whole season. Generally, an ACL for a basketball player is a full-year recovery, and if it’s a full year for Klay, that puts them out for the season.

“We’ve kind of left the door open in case the rehab goes perfectly and the doctors say he can go. But the reality is, on April 1, that’s the nine-month mark. … April versus nine months post-op for an ACL.

“We have to prepare our young guys to fill that role behind him, and when he gets back, whenever that is, hopefully these young guys now are developed and in the rotation and ready to really be contributors on a playoff team and we can get better,” Kerr added.

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“It’s the North Star,” says Curry.

Steph isn’t particularly concerned about carrying a bigger burden for Golden State, nor does he feel any additional pressure.

Per Yahoo Sports:

“We’ll see. I’ll have to listen to my body,” Curry told Yahoo Sports. “I know how the playoffs felt last year when KD was out and having to get your rest and your recovery and being able to play at that level. But I’m pretty smart around understanding exactly how I can be at my best and sustaining that over the course of the year. I’m obviously not going to play 82 games, but whatever the intensity is out on the court, I’ll be ready for it.”

But these are still the Warriors, a proud franchise that made reaching the Finals the norm. The pressure to perform at a high level is still very much present, especially while breaking in the new Chase Center in San Francisco.

“If I wasn’t confident in myself, that would really bother me,” Curry told Yahoo Sports. “I’m not worried about it. And pressure isn’t the right word. I feel there’s an awareness of what our situation is and there’s a freedom in that, too, because I can just go out there and hoop. I’ve never lacked confidence. That’s the thing that’s hard to really put into words with the teams we’ve had the last couple of years from 2015 to now. I’ve approached the game the exact same way, but it just looks different based on who I have out there playing with me like [Kevin Durant] and playing with Klay [Thompson]. It looks different, but my mindset is exactly the same. So, I’m approaching the season the same way, which is to give my all until proven otherwise.”

Good health or not, Curry said his aspirations haven’t changed.

“A championship is still the goal,” Curry told Yahoo Sports. “It’s always been. We’ve experienced it all and we’re going to keep pushing to get back there. That’s the goal. It’s the North Star. The narrative might have changed internally, but we’re still chasing the same goal.”

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Warriors head coach Steve Kerr told reporters that Curry looks to already be “in mid-season form.”

Kerr added that Steph will have “a large offensive burden all year.”

Per NBC Sports Bay Area:

“He’s going to have a large offensive burden all year,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr said Thursday night. “Just the nature of what we’ve lost from a scoring standpoint and a playmaking standpoint.”

By halftime, Curry was up to 24 points, including three 3-pointers.

“Steph looks like he’s in mid-season form now,” Kerr said.

Entering his 11th NBA season — with a roster full of changes — Curry had an idea of what was needed.

“Coming into camp, I have the same mentality every time I step on the floor,” he said. “Doesn’t mean I’m shooting every possession, but I’m trying to make plays and do what I’m comfortable doing and that’s just playing my style of basketball and being aggressive and confident.

“It’s just the natural way of our offense and how I’m going to have the ball more. I just got to make the right plays. Be confident, aggressive and assertive every possession and that gets the dominoes falling.”

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Green says the Dubs are gunning for a sixth consecutive trip to the NBA Finals.

Teammate Stephen Curry adds that Golden State, despite a depleted roster, is confident they will remain in the hunt.

Per ESPN:

“I am not sure what everyone’s expectations are,” Green told ESPN. “We haven’t really had any team meetings yet. But I know what my expectations are. They don’t change from year-to-year. They are always the same.”

When asked specifically if he thinks the Warriors could go to the NBA Finals this season, Green was quick with his answer.

“Is Steph Curry on our team? Klay Thompson?” Green said confidently. “Yup.”

Despite all the movement, both Green and Curry said they believe the expectation for the group should be the same as always: a trip to the NBA Finals.

“For sure,” Curry told ESPN. “As long as we have the solid core that we’ve got and the experiences to kind of back us up, we’re going to keep that goal in mind. The fun part about it is that we get to kind of recreate the look of it and incorporating the new pieces that we have, and that part’s the most exciting. The last five Finals have kind of been a certain way, so whatever we do from here, you’re going to enjoy it even more.”

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Kerr says it’s a matter of fact that, the deeper a team goes into the postseason, the more it must rely on superstar players’ individual greatness.

The Warriors, sans KD, are now headed into their “most important” training camp since Kerr took over in 2014.

Per The Athletic:

“I wasn’t at all offended what Kevin said because it’s basically the truth,” Kerr said. “You look at any system, I mean, I played the triangle with Michael Jordan. The offense ran a lot smoother all regular season and the first couple rounds of the playoffs than it did in the conference finals and Finals. It just did.”

Kerr continued: “That’s why guys like Michael Jordan and Kevin Durant and Kobe Bryant are who they are. They can transcend any defense. But defenses in the playoffs, deep in the playoffs, combined with the physicality of the game — where refs can’t possibly call a foul every time — means that superstars have to take over. No system is just going to dice a Finals defense up. You have to rely on individual play. I didn’t look at (his comment) as offensive. I look at that as fact.”

Kerr then got reflective.

“For us, with Kevin, I look at the ’16-17 season, his first year, as really our apex,” Kerr said. “We had great offenses every year. But that year, we had a great combination of movement and flow and systemic success combined with the brilliance of his 1-on-1 play. That was the peak of our offense functioning. That’s ideally what you want as a coach. You want a system that you can count on to get organized, get people comfortable. Then you want a couple guys who can break down a defense on their own when the offense can’t get a shot up. That’s what championship basketball is about to me.”

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Thompson says the traumatic injury is “just the humbling part of sports.”

Klay adds that he believes the Golden State Warriors will remain a potent force, and still have a five-year window as title contenders.

Per The Athletic:

“I felt like the best version I’ve ever felt of myself in that NBA Finals,” Thompson said Thursday. “I kid you not.”

This was different than his past feats. Thompson imposed his will in a way even he noticed was a level up.

“I think about that every day,” Thompson said. He sat straight up and shook his head. “That’s just the humbling part of sports — when you feel like you’re at your best, something traumatic can happen. But I honestly felt like I was at the peak of my NBA career up to that point. I was at my best. The way I was shooting the ball, the way I was playing defense. I felt like I was one of the best players out there. In past series, or Finals, you know, I’ve been able to defer. But in that series, I felt like I was just, like, as close to unstoppable as I’ve ever been.”

On being underdogs again, teamed, as always, with Stephen Curry and Draymond Green:

Thompson: “It’s going to be fun, and I love the dudes we got. We’ve got a young team. I’m excited for D’Angelo (Russell), for him to come to a winner. I’m excited for Willie Cauley-Stein, who is super talented and I know he’s hungry. I’m excited for Loon (Kevon Looney). He’s coming into his own. I’m seeing him in Japan running camps and stuff and that man might’ve spoken 30 words in the last four years. To see him leading drills and teaching and coming into his own, I can see the confidence he has. I’m just excited, man. Obviously, we know Steph and Dray and me. Jordan (Poole) is talented. I watched him in summer league. He’s got skills. It will be fun.”

On people writing them off:

Thompson: “That’s fine. That’s sports. I don’t just think we’re going to be nice this year. I think we’ve got a five-year window. We’re still so young, man. People get lost thinking, “Oh, they’re 30 now.” I feel younger than ever.”

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Curry, 31, says he would love to “push the envelope and push the limits” for a Golden State team that underwent a major transformation this summer.

Steph also reflected on former teammate Kevin Durant’s belief that the Warriors’ motion offense “only works to a certain point.”

Per ESPN:

“Well, I don’t– care what plays we ran,” Curry said. “We won two championships. And at the end of the day, we had a lotta talent and there was an expectation of us figuring out how to balance all that. And we talked a lot about it throughout the three-year run. It wasn’t always perfect, but I think in terms of, you know, the results and what we were able to do on the floor, that kinda speaks for itself. We all wanna play iso-ball at the end of the day in some way, shape or form. But I’d rather have some championships too.”

While winning another title remains Curry’s ultimate goal, he acknowledged that winning his third MVP award would be a “special” accomplishment.

“I always say, I’m playing like I’m the best player on the floor no matter what the situation is.” Curry said. “That’s my mentality. It might not mean I’m taking every shot, but that’s the aggressiveness that I need to play with and the confidence I need to have. So– that’ll carry me the rest of my career. And at the end of the day, winning an MVP would be special. And it’s something that– I’ve experienced before and would love to experience again. I’d love to push the envelope and push the limits a little bit. So — doesn’t– you won’t see anything different about how I play, you know, this season versus years past.”

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Green says Golden State, though obviously diminished by Kevin Durant‘s free agency exit this summer, “still got a great cast.”

The Dubs will be in survival mode until Klay Thompson eventually returns to action following surgery to repair a torn ACL.

Per NBC Sports Bay Area:

The Western Conference is vastly improved, but those counting the Warriors out of the title conversation should rethink their position. Green knows the Dubs will be dangerous when it’s winning time.

“No pumping up need to be done,” Green said about the Warriors’ upcoming season Thursday on CNBC’s “Power Money.”

“We still got a great cast with obviously Steph Curry leading the charge. We bring in D’Angelo Russel. Got a lot of young talent coming in — Willie Cauley-Stein — I plan on trying to play at the best of my ability this year, and obviously, with Klay [Thompson] coming back around February, no one is going to want to play us in the playoffs, that’s for sure.”

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Kerr says he’s excited to “implement everything” similar to what he went through during his first year in Golden State.

Kerr adds that he looks forward to a “lot of new beginnings” for the Dubs next season.

Per The Athletic:

“That first year we had to implement everything — that takes time,” Kerr told The Athletic. “It’s exciting, and that’s what we’re going to do with the new group, so that’s really exciting.

“That part excites me. It’s going to be much more similar to Year 1 for my staff.”

Shaun Livingston and DeMarcus Cousins are no longer on the team and Andre Iguodala was traded to try to reshape the roster on the fly. Thompson tore his ACL in Game 6 of the Finals, which is expected to keep him out months.

“Klay being out is really the big change,” Kerr said. “Losing Kevin, Andre, Shaun, obviously, those are huge losses. Losing Klay on top of all that really changes the way we’re going to have to play at both ends. Klay was always an integral part of everything. Movement on offense, but also the guarding of the ballhandler on defense, switching onto bigs. So until he gets back, we’ve got to re-imagine everything and adapt accordingly.”

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“I’ll never be of those guys,” Durant says after bolting from the Dubs as an unrestricted free agent this summer.

KD also believes Golden State’s motion offense “only works to a certain point.”

Per The WSJ:

“I came in there wanting to be part of a group, wanting to be part of a family, and definitely felt accepted,” he says. “But I’ll never be one of those guys. I didn’t get drafted there.… Steph Curry, obviously drafted there. Andre Iguodala, won the first Finals, first championship. Klay Thompson, drafted there. Draymond Green, drafted there. And the rest of the guys kind of rehabilitated their careers there. So me? Shit, how you going to rehabilitate me? What you going to teach me? How can you alter anything in my basketball life? I got an MVP already. I got scoring titles.”

That he stood out, stood apart from the group, felt preordained.

“As time went on,” he says, “I started to realize I’m just different from the rest of the guys. It’s not a bad thing. Just my circumstances and how I came up in the league. And on top of that, the media always looked at it like KD and the Warriors. So it’s like nobody could get a full acceptance of me there.”

From a strictly competitive, strategic standpoint, Durant had come to fear that Golden State had hit a ceiling.

“The motion offense we run in Golden State, it only works to a certain point,” he says. “We can totally rely on only our system for maybe the first two rounds. Then the next two rounds we’re going to have to mix in individual play. We’ve got to throw teams off, because they’re smarter in that round of playoffs. So now I had to dive into my bag, deep, to create stuff on my own, off the dribble, isos, pick-and-rolls, more so than let the offense create my points for me.”

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Thompson is “the greatest two-guard on the planet,” according to Lacob.

Golden State intends to keep Klay and the remaining core “for a long time.”

Per NBC Sports Bay Area (via The Warriors Insider Podcast):

“There was no doubt in my mind, whatsoever,” Lacob said to NBC Sports Bay Area’s Monte Poole on the latest episode of The Warriors Insider Podcast. “I, and we, want Klay to be here for a long time. He’s one of my favorite players in the world.”

Thompson is expected to be out until around February or March and return before the playoffs if all goes well in his recovery.

“ACLs … not good, ok we know that,” Lacob said. “But stuff happens and that’s an injury that now people know how to manage. Plenty of people have come back from ACLs and done pretty well. Honestly, it didn’t even remotely cross my mind.”

For his ability to play at such a high level on both ends of the court, Lacob sent Thompson some high praise.

“Personally, I think he’s the greatest two-guard — I’m old school. I know it’s positionless basketball, but I go by positions. To me, he’s the greatest two-guard on the planet,” Lacob said. “He’s both ends. He’s a two-way player. He’s got great size and he’s an incredible shooter and he plays hard. What more can you ask for than Klay Thompson? Why would you not want Klay Thompson?”

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Lacob points out that the Warriors have the enviable luxury of playing with four NBA All-Stars.

While many have been quick to write off the Dubs after losing out on Kevin Durant to free agency and Klay Thompson to a torn ACL, Lacob says they “have a shot to be pretty good by the second half of the year.”

Per NBC Sports Bay Area:

“There are nine or 10 teams that legitimately have a shot, or they think they do,” Warriors CEO Joe Lacob told NBC Sports Bay Area on Tuesday. “That’s great for the league. And we’re one of those teams.”

The remaking of the roster, with combo guard D’Angelo Russell the prize offseason acquisition, has left only three players – Steph Curry, Draymond Green and Kevon Looney – set to enter training camp Sept. 30 with more than one season as a Warrior.

“By All-Star break, we’re going to see where we are,” Lacob said.

“I personally have great faith in our coaching staff and our players. I like any team that has Steph, Klay and Draymond. When you add D’Angelo Russell to that, I’ll take that. I don’t know of any other team that has more than two All-Stars, and we have four. From that standpoint, we have a shot to be pretty good by the second half of the year.”

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Green says Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and the rest of the Warriors will relish having “that underdog chip back.”

Draymond, who inked a four-year, $100 million contract extension with the Dubs this summer, adds that he found out when everyone else did that his “brother” and now-former teammate Kevin Durant was joining the Brooklyn Nets.

Per ESPN:

“I’ve heard people say we’re not gonna make the playoffs. That’s crazy to me,” Green said in an interview with ESPN’s Rachel Nichols on Wednesday’s The Jump. “I mean, that’s just, like, that’s total disrespect, but no different than the disrespect we’ve all been getting for years.”

Whether it’s the odds or just chatter, Green said he’s fine with hearing skepticism around his team.

“I like it,” he said. “You know, being the underdog. It’s been a while since we been the underdog. But it brings that underdog chip back, and I miss that chip. I’m pretty sure Steph [Curry] missed that chip, and some of the stuff Klay been texting me this summer, I’m positive he misses the chip. So to the oddsmakers, thanks. You got me where I am today. I look forward to where they take me again.”

The Golden State Warriors are gonna look very different from here on out. The biggest departure is, of course, Kevin Durant. Have you talked to Kevin the summer?

Green: “Absolutely. I actually talked to K yesterday. You know, Kevin is my brother. He came to Golden State for three seasons. We won two championships … if someone would’ve told me, man, Kevin Durant’s gonna come to the Warriors and you guys are gonna win two championships and then have a shot at winning a third, would you take that? In a heartbeat. And so that was a major success. That’s my brother, and I’m happy for him.

“Because, you know, not many times in life do you get to do what you wanna do. He’s worked his ass off and had the opportunity to do what he wanted to do. And he did exactly that. And someone who puts the amount of effort that that guy puts into the game of basketball, he deserves to do exactly that.”

Related Stephen Curry Unfazed By Doubts of Warriors’ Title Chances

The post Draymond Green: Talk of Warriors Missing Playoffs ‘Crazy to Me’ appeared first on SLAM.

Having lost Kevin Durant to free agency, and fellow All-Star Klay Thompson not expected back anytime soon as he recovers from a torn ACL, Curry says the Warriors won’t change their approach.

The Dubs, who’ve reached the Finals in each of the last five years, have eight new players on their roster.

Per NBC Sports Bay Area:

“I just laugh at it,” Curry said during his second annual Warriors All-Girls basketball camp in Oakland on Monday afternoon. “Anybody can say anything about anything nowadays and it can pick up steam. So we’ve had lots of support. We’ve had a lot of criticism on the way that doesn’t change now. Just what they’re saying is different so doesn’t change how we go about our business.”

In recent weeks, Curry and the [All-Star guard D’Angelo Russell] have been working out around the Bay Area with Curry’s trainer Brandon Payne, a practice the two-time MVP believes will help during the season.

“It’s just a matter of really trying to get guys comfortable with the system, be able to highlight the different skill sets that we have and different strengths and the chemistry,” Curry said.

“It will take a little bit of time and a lot of hard work, but like I said, we have a lot of high IQ guys from our core and a lot of leadership and commitment to what we do, so starting in the training camp and beyond, you have to have a mindset that you will continue to get better as the season goes on.”

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Russell, 23, adds that the Warriors will be very exciting to watch next season.

The All-Star guard is looking forward to “an opportunity to be a sponge” playing for the Dubs.

Per HoopsHype:

A backcourt of you, Steph Curry and Klay Thompson (once healthy) is pretty insane to think about – three All-Stars who can drop 40 any given night. How excited are you to play with those guys?

DR: “I think it’s like a video game. You got three guys who can shoot the three at a high clip. I think that’s really exciting for the fans. Threes are obviously worth more than twos at the end of the day, so I think it gives us an opportunity to win. I’m so excited, and I think we’re going to bring a lot of excitement [to the fans].”

Steph Curry is a two-time MVP and one of the best point guards in NBA history. How much can you learn from him and are you looking forward to picking his brain?

DR: “I think this situation gives me an opportunity to be a sponge. I can learn a lot from everyone: a Hall of Fame coach – one of the winningest coaches ever – and from three different players who are Hall of Famers. It’s cool, man. This is a Hall of Fame organization that I get to a part of.”

Are you expecting to play off-ball more since you’ll be sharing the backcourt with Steph at times?

DR: “The league has changed in so many ways. There are no point guards anymore, there are no centers anymore; it’s all positionless basketball. I think [we have] a lot of players out there who will just allow [me] to be a basketball player – not having to focus on running the team or being the defensive [anchor] or whatever. There are so many great talents out there that will just allow me to be a basketball player. It’s a situation where I can go in and not worry about being on-the-ball or off-ball or coming off the bench or whatever. I am just being a basketball player. If I have the ball in my hands, I’ll make a play. If don’t, I’ll try to get in position to make a play. I think that’s what it comes down to.”

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Durant credits Brooklyn’s “creative” front-office for what they’re building.

KD adds that teaming up with fellow superstar Kyrie Irving “wasn’t a thing we planned.”

Per Yahoo Sports:

“If I was leaving the Warriors, it was always going to be for the Nets,” Durant said. “They got the pieces and a creative front office. I just like what they were building.”

The Nets will have to be patient before seeing the duo of Durant and Kyrie Irving playing together. Irving is one of Durant’s closest friends in the league, and the Nets are banking on that relationship creating a positive chemistry on the court.

“I think the friendship part of the league has really grown, especially since LeBron James and Dwyane Wade became such great friends and ended up playing together,” Durant told Yahoo Sports.

“People see friendship as the way guys are teaming up. There’s nothing wrong with people speculating. That’s just what it is, but we’re just good friends no matter what. We didn’t have to play together. It wasn’t necessary. But, we were friends before anything, and we just happened to want to hoop together. But it wasn’t a thing we planned. It just came together.”

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Durant, 30, reports that he had targeted that pivotal game all along for his return to the court.

KD adds that his now-former teammates wished him well after he decided to join the Brooklyn Nets as an unrestricted free agent.

Per Yahoo Sports:

“Hell, no. How can you blame [the Warriors]? Hell, no,” Durant told Yahoo Sports. “I heard the Warriors pressured me into getting back. Nobody never said a word to me during rehab as I was coming back. It was only me and [director of sports medicine and performance] Rick [Celebrini] working out every day. Right when the series started, I targeted Game 5. Hell, nah. It just happened. It’s basketball. S— happens. Nobody was responsible for it. It was just the game. We just need to move on from that s— because I’m going to be back playing.”

The 2018-19 season was a tumultuous one for the Warriors. It was widely assumed Durant was leaving the Bay Area at the end of the year and that speculation escalated after the incident with Draymond Green mid-November.

It’s a conversation Durant is tired of and he rolls his eyes when the subject comes up.

“Hell, yeah, I’m tired of talking about that s—. Look, we’re grown men,” Durant told Yahoo Sports. “We understand what this is. We’re playing basketball for a living. It’s a business. Everybody congratulated me when I went to the Nets. Everybody wished me well, and they know that I’m still a phone call away. So, I just happen to play in a different jersey now. Nothing else is going to change.”

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Thompson, 29, tore his left ACL in Game 6 of the NBA Finals and says the Warriors remain a force to be reckoned with.

Klay adds that new teammate D’Angelo Russell will be “huge” for Golden State in his absence.

Per The LA Times:

“I feel good,” Thompson said. “I’m going to come back 110%.”

Dr. Neal ElAttrache performed the procedure on Thompson at the Kerlan Jobe Institute in Los Angeles, and Thompson said he is on track to return to the court at some point next season.

“That’s my goal,” Thompson said. “I doubt I’ll be back before the All-Star break, but I want to be back this season.”

As Thompson goes down the list of teams in the West, he shakes his head at the number of contenders that are aiming to take the Warriors’ place in the Finals.

“The West is so stacked, not just with the Lakers and Clippers but the Jazz made great moves, the Nuggets are young and upcoming, the Blazers have an amazing backcourt, the Rockets have a two-headed monster in the backcourt with two MVPs still in their prime,” Thompson said. “So it’s going to be tough for us, but I assume I’m going to be on the court at some point and hopefully I’ll hit the ground running and we’ll be in playoff contention. That’s all we need is just a shot.”

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Kerr is confident that Russell will “fit right in” with Golden State’s core, which lost out on Kevin Durant in free agency.

Kerr says he is excited to coach the 23-year-old NBA All-Star.

Per NBC Sports Bay Area:

“I’m excited to coach him, he’s a great young talent,” Kerr told reporters in Vegas. “I think he’s going to fit right in with our group and we’re gonna need him desperately, without Klay [Thompson] especially.”

Russell was a revelation for Brooklyn in 2018-19, posting career-highs in scoring, assists, and three-point percentage. Russell was named an All-Star and helped lead the Nets to the playoffs for the first time since the 2014-15 season.

“We need D’Angelo’s scoring, and it’s up to us as a staff to figure out how best to use him and shape the team, shape the offense and we’ll figure it out.”

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Curry, 31, says he loves the talent the Warriors have assembled after Kevin Durant left as an unrestricted free agent this summer.

Steph is looking forward to an “interesting year” for the re-tooled Dubs.

Per The Athletic:

“Hell, nah,” Curry replied when asked if he would do load management. “We’ve got a great opportunity to build something special with some hungry guys looking to prove themselves. There are so many narratives people can throw at us. But at the end of the day, I’ve never been the type to show up with any other mindset than to do what you do — hoop. We’ve got championship DNA. We know that. We’ve got our core, when Klay gets back. It’s going to be an interesting year, for sure, all the way around. It’s going to be challenging to really find that momentum early. But with the new arena, losing the Finals, this summer is a different vibe. Keeps you locked in.”

It’s been a while since the Warriors have been in this position — building chemistry, developing young players, growing together.

“It will be fun for everybody,” he said. “It’s a new challenge. I love the talent we’ve got. We just don’t know what it’s going to look like because we’ve never done it before.”

Which is why, Curry said, the Warriors need Draymond Green. He helped build it and will be key to doing it again. Back in 2015, when Green was due a contract extension, Curry would, in the middle of the game when Green made a play, catch the attention of Warriors co-chairman Joe Lacob and tell him to “pay that man.” Curry is of the same mind now as Green is due a contract extension.

“I feel like he’s proven how valuable he is to a championship team and can find ways to get even better,” Curry said. “They know what’s up.”

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“Everybody wants a new challenge,” says Curry, who reflected on the departures of Kevin Durant through free agency, the Andre Iguodala trade, Klay Thompson‘s torn ACL, and the acquisition of D’Angelo Russell.

Curry, 31, is “the oldest on the team now,” and realizes he’ll have to carry a much larger burden for the Warriors.

Per The Mercury News:

“It will develop as we get together as a group. A lot of changes. It’s a tough way to end the Finals with K.D. and Klay getting injured, and obviously free agency. For us, our core, myself, Klay (Thompson), Draymond (Green), adding D’Angelo and a lot of hungry, young guys trying to prove themselves in the league, it’ll look different in terms of the lineups and things like that. But the expectations of how we play, that championship-caliber basketball, that for us will always be the motivation and the challenge.

“I’m excited, to be honest with you. Five straight years in the Finals and we’ve accomplished a lot, and three championships. There’s a lot to be proud of. But everybody wants a new challenge in terms of how do you get back to that level.”

Did the free agency changes catch you off-guard in terms of what the Warriors did, and when you look at the league, especially the Western Conference with the Clippers and Lakers? How do you size it up?

“There’s a lot of change, and it’s like this every summer, just now it’s with the biggest names in the game. The West is always tough. It’s been that way since we started this Finals run back in 2015, and I think it’s going to continue.

“In terms of what we did this summer, I’m really proud of our front office trying to put the pieces together and filling out the roster with talented guys that are going to be hungry to prove themselves in the league and obviously D’Angelo with the year he had last year. We’re all going to figure it out together. It’s going to be an adjustment. We talked about this when Coach Kerr took over back in 2015. We had proven success in terms of being a playoff team and just had to finetune it a little bit. Now that we’re champions and experienced that, it’s just about finetuning with the personnel that you have. We have a high basketball IQ so I’m confident we’ll figure it out.”

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Russell, 23, knows the Dubs may end up moving on after acquiring him from the Brooklyn Nets as part of the Kevin Durant sign-and-trade.

Despite what naysayers claim, D-Lo believes the Warriors’ system complements his game, and predicts he’ll create a “dangerous combo” with new teammate Stephen Curry.

Per The San Fran Chronicle and ESPN:

“I think (the Warriors’ system) complements my game,” Russell said. “I’m a guy that loves to pass, loves to make plays and create. I think this is a prime example of the system being that and having the advantage of guys that can shoot.”

If a chaotic NBA free-agency period has taught him anything, it’s that circumstances can change fast.

“You put yourself in a position to go somewhere for a long period of time,” Russell said. “That might not be the way it is, and that’s the business. Whatever situation I’m in, I understand the business side of it.”

Russell said [Klay] Thompson’s injury had no bearing on his decision to land with the Warriors. Like many around the league, Russell was intrigued by the opportunity to play with Curry, on top of being able to sign for max money.

“Honestly, I’m excited,” Russell said.

“I’m excited more than anything. I think it’s a huge opportunity just to take another step and learn from a good group of guys that have done — and marked their way in this league, so I’m super excited. You got guys that can shoot, dribble and play make for others. That’s a dangerous combo. And then a guy like him that gets hot anytime throughout the game, it’s something that gives you an advantage throughout a game, I would say. So to add another guy that could possibly do that consistently — I think it’s just an extra piece.”

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The Hall of Fame point guard, who grew close to Durant while working together, said the rings did not in fact “change everything.”

KD left Golden State for the Brooklyn Nets as an unrestricted free agent this summer, agreeing to a four-year deal worth $164 million.

Per ESPN:

Durant spent part of the summer after that first championship working with Steve Nash, a Warriors consultant. Nash was struck by Durant’s despondency.

“He didn’t have a great summer,” Nash told me last year. “He was searching for what it all meant. He thought a championship would change everything and found out it doesn’t. He was not fulfilled.”

He grew so quiet during the middle of the 2017-18 season that coach Steve Kerr summoned him to lunch in Portland before the All-Star break. “I don’t want to lose you,” Durant remembered Kerr telling him.

“He had been drifting a bit,” Kerr told ESPN after the 2018 NBA Finals. “He’s vulnerable. I felt the need to reconnect.”

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If Thompson is able to hit the early side of that window, he could be back in action before Christmas. The late end of that window would have him back in action in February, provided rehabilitation goes smoothly and he’s able to return to basketball activities promptly.

While there’s certainly no guarantee that Thompson will be able to reach 100% at any point during the 2019-20, his presence will be welcomed as Golden State embraces for a vastly different season than what they’ve become accustomed to.

Thompson injured his knee in Game 6 of the NBA Finals and had the surgery performed by Dr. Neal ElAttrache at the Kerlan Jobe Institute in Los Angeles.

The post Klay Thompson Has Surgery, Expected To Follow 5-to-7 Month Recovery Timeline appeared first on SLAM.

Curry wanted to let KD know how much he appreciated their time together in The Bay.

The two superstars reportedly never developed the type of close relationship Durant supposedly craved, and hopes to form with Kyrie Irving in BK.

Per The Athletic:

Stephen Curry flew straight to the New York area from Shanghai, China. But he wasn’t going to pitch Kevin Durant on why he should stay with the Warriors. It was already too late. He was on the plane when the news broke that Durant was leaving for Brooklyn.

And Curry didn’t turn the jet around or cancel the trip. Because it wasn’t about recruiting. It was about respect. It was about thanks.

His trip to New York was seen as a last-ditch effort to keep Durant.

But Curry went to have one last moment with Durant as teammates. To tell him one more time how much he appreciated him for the three years they had. They’d won two championships together. Dominated the league together. Made history together. He was there to wish Durant happiness and peace, express his support for his decision. And when Curry got to Durant’s apartment in Manhattan, Durant confirmed to Curry his decision that their time together was over. Face to face. Man to man. Friend to friend.

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The Golden State Warriors are expected to offer Klay Thompson a full five-year max contract worth approximately $190 million as soon as free agency officially begins at 6 pm EST on Sunday, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN reports.

The news comes as no surprise given that both parties have separately said that they intend to continue their relationship. Thompson, of course, has played his entire eight-year career with the Warriors squad that drafted him.

Earlier this month we wrote that the Warriors intended to offer Thompson a max deal and not long after that Thompson’s father Mychal Thompson made it clear that his son would be back in a Warriors uniform.

Thompson, having just missed out on designated veteran status at the end of the regular season, can earn a 30% max deal as an eight-year veteran. If he stays with Golden State he can get a five-year deal with 8% raises.

If Thompson were to leave, he’d be able to earn a four-year max deal with 5% raises worth approximately $140 million. There have been reports that Thompson would listen to offers from the Lakers and Clippers in the event that the Warriors didn’t offer a max but a long-term deal with Golden State has always been the expectation.

The post Warriors To Offer Klay Thompson Full Max Deal When Free Agency Opens appeared first on SLAM.

Thompson, 29, is an unrestricted free agent and tore his left ACL in Game 6 of the NBA Finals.

The Lakers managed to clear enough cap space to have $32 million to spend in free agency as part of the Anthony Davis trade, which they can offer on a max contract or spread it among lower-tier free agents.

Per The LA Times:

According to people familiar with the deal, the Lakers have reworked the terms of the Anthony Davis trade to send Moe Wagner, Isaac Bonga and Jemerrio Jones to the Washington Wizards and have received a commitment from Davis to waive his trade kicker. The Wizards also will receive the Lakers’ 2022 second-round draft pick.

According to reports, Kawhi Leonard is planning to meet with the Lakers but will reserve his final meeting for the Toronto Raptors. Charlotte Hornets point guard Kemba Walker and Boston Celtics point guard Kyrie Irving are also in line for maximum contracts. Walker is unlikely to consider the Lakers according to a person familiar with his thinking, while Irving has been connected to the Brooklyn Nets for weeks.

With only three players committed to their roster for next season, Lakers officials have work to do to complete their team. But they now have the salary cap flexibility for several options.

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