Klay Thompson thus far has made an immediate impact for the Dallas Mavericks as an elite floor spacer. After dropping 22 points on the San Antonio Spurs during the season opener while raining in 6-10 threes, he’s brought a similar energy tonight against the Phoenix Suns.
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At the halftime mark against the Suns, Klay brought himself up to 10 points on 2-5 shooting from behind the arc which led to an even 40% 3FG%. He also shot 4-8 from the field as a whole while also grabbing 1 single rebound in his 16 minutes of play.
Klay was given merely 26 minutes to play in his debut as a Maverick but played 16 minutes going into halftime. Jason Kidd made sure to eclipse this mark for him with 33:20 minutes of play.
Klay rained in 5 three-pointers tonight while shooting 41.7% from 3-point range. He’s showcased his ability to still have the conditioning required to cause frenzy across the arc with his movement.
| Klay Thompson Stats against Suns (Oct 26th, 2024) | |
| Minutes | 33:21 |
| Points | 19 |
| Field Goals | 7/16 |
| FG% | 43.8% |
| 3-Pointers | 5/12 |
| 3P % | 41.7% |
| Free Throws | 0/0 |
| FT% | 0 |
| Rebounds | 3 |
| Assists | 1 |
| Steals | 1 |
| +/- | -1 |
While his field goal percentage did take a slight dip into the sub-40s as the game winded down, he’s quickly proving himself to be a viable 3rd offensive option for the Mavericks. Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving drive in-kick outs with Klay shadowing them on the wing and corners is a lethal combination.
On the defensive end of the floor, Kidd made sure Klay’s matchup wasn’t someone as explosive as Booker. For a majority of the game, rookie Ryan Dunn and Royce O’Neale were tasked with dealing with Klay.
The game ended with the Mavericks losing 114-102 to the Suns. Despite the loss, Klay can take solace in the fact that he’s slowly proving any naysayers wrong about not being in form.
