Klay Thompson’s arrival in Dallas has sparked a belief that the Mavericks can go one better than last season and win the NBA title. His three-point shooting is expected to bloom alongside high-scoring guards Kyrie Irving and Luka Doncic but there are question marks around his defense after a couple of tough seasons on that end. Brian Windhorst addressed the issue on NBA Today.
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The analyst acknowledged that Thompson will help the Mavericks’ three-point shooting. During the 2024 finals, Dallas made just 9.6 triples per game on 31.6% shooting, while the Celtics converted 14 triples per game on 33.3%. The veteran guard can bridge the three-point shooting gap. However, Windhorst was skeptical about his defensive readiness in the clutch moments.
He highlighted how Warriors head coach Steve Kerr was reluctant to put him out on the court late in games due to his underwhelming defense. Windhost claimed that Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd will face a similar dilemma. He said,
“At the end of the game, is Jason Kidd going to feel with Klay Thompson out there on the defensive end? Because if you look at the perimeter, it is Klay, Kyrie Irving, and Luka Doncic, that is not the strongest defensive perimeter… This is what happened last year with the Warriors, Klay became a defensive issue sometimes, so they had to take him off the court, it caused problems with him.”
While losing Derrick Jones to the Clippers was a massive blow, the team acquired 6-foot-7 forward Naji Marshall to fill in on the defensive end. They could replace Thompson with the former Pelicans forward in crucial situations if the veteran’s defense underwhelms.
However, Windhorst recalled that the guard wasn’t too pleased about being left on the bench in crunch time last season with the Warriors. The analyst claimed the four-time NBA champion’s willingness to sacrifice his playing time will determine how far the Mavericks go. He explained,
“It’s not about Klay but also the other guys or will they go to Naji Marshall, who’s a real big offseason defensive pick up for them. How they handle that? How Klay handles those lineups will determine what this team is going to be.”
While Thompson’s woes on the defensive end have been a massive issue over the past two years, perhaps a change in scenery could help him rekindle the form that made him one of the best two-way guards in the league.
Can Klay Thompson recover his defensive mojo?
Thompson used to be a terrific defender before his twin ACL injuries. He boasted a defensive rating of under 109 for five straight years between 2012 and 2017. It declined slightly to the 110-112 range in 2018 and 2019, but after returning from a two-year injury hiatus, he posted a rating of 110 during the 2021-22 season, which helped the Warriors win the title.
Since that championship victory, his defense has fallen off a cliff. In the 2022-23 season, he posted a defensive rating of 116.6, and last season, it fell further to 117.8, the worst mark of his career.
A new defensive scheme could help Thompson become a solid defender again, which would be enough for the Mavericks if he can provide consistent scoring from beyond the arc. It remains to be seen whether the veteran fits into Dallas’ game plan or will be relegated to the bench like he was in his final season with the Warriors.
