“Klay Thompson Was Hurt by the Warriors Offense!”: JJ Redick Explains Stephen Curry’s Role in 6ft 6″ Sharpshooter’s Struggles

The Golden State Warriors had a short playoff run for the first time in nine years. Ever since Steve Kerr took over during the 2014-15 season, Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green had either seen the Playoffs end with the Finals or the team missed them altogether. However, the Lakers eliminated them in the 2nd round yesterday and snapped that streak. A big reason behind the same could be Klay’s inefficient performance this postseason. JJ Redick spoke about the same and tried to explain what might be impacting Thompson’s numbers.

Klay had a rather uncharacteristic postseason run this year. His performances weren’t consistent, his shooting was all over the place, and that played a part in the Warriors’ early exit. Right before Game 6 against the Lakers, JJ Redick spoke on his podcast about Klay and possible reasons behind his unusual performance.

JJ Redick believes the Warriors’ offense impacted Klay Thompson

Seeing the ball go in the basket is a big confidence booster for any hooper. It doesn’t matter if you’re playing in your driveway or in the NBA; the first-made bucket always takes away some pressure. JJ Redick feels this is where the Warriors went wrong.

This postseason, the Dubs adopted a primary pick-and-roll offense when Steph was on the floor. While it helped the Dubs put points on the board, it hampered the process of unlocking one of their biggest weapons: Klay Thompson.

Redick talked about it and said,

“When they’re getting to their split-action, one thing Klay gets a lot is layups. He’s such a good cutter, and if you’re getting one or two layups a half, it alleviates some of that stress from the quick catch and shoots. When you’re not in the flow, and your normal flow is a shooter…if every five possessions you get a pindown, you get a fly-off, and there’s somebody in the gap, it’s like, ‘I gotta jack.’ It’s inherent nature.”

.@jj_redick on how the Warriors’s pick-and-roll offense has affected Klay Thompson lately 👇 pic.twitter.com/4s1cQVCYuE

— TheOldMan&TheThree (@OldManAndThree) May 12, 2023

It’s clear that Klay wasn’t getting the same kind of opportunities like he used to before. Maybe he needed a bit longer to get used to this new PnR dominant playing style. Either way, the season’s over for the defending champs, and this is now a job for the coaches to figure out how to fix it.

What’s next for Klay and the Warriors?

The Dubs have a lot of decisions to make this offseason. One of them is a contract extension for Klay Thompson. He’s signed until the end of the next season, and the Dubs will have a first crack at making his stay in SF longer.

Seeing how Thompson is 33, this might be his last chance at a big deal. However, his performance in the playoffs will make it tough. Many expect Klay to take a paycut and sign an extension with the Dubs. On the other hand, he can leave the decision to next off-season, when he’ll be an unrestricted free agent.

This will give him a chance to prove himself again, and a better shot at a bigger deal. However, if Klay wants to be a Warrior for life, just like his teammates Steph and Draymond, a paycut might be the only way forward.