“We Got Punked Tonight”: Klay Thompson Didn’t Sugarcoat the Warriors’ 30-Point Blowout Loss vs LeBron James And Co.

Advait Jajodia | 07/05/2023
“We Got Punked Tonight”: Klay Thompson Didn’t Sugarcoat After the Warriors’ 30-Point Blowout Loss Vs LeBron James And Co.

The Warriors beat the Los Angeles Lakers by 27 points in Game 2 at the Chase Center. However, tonight the Golden State Warriors suffered an even more embarrassing loss on the road. With the All-Star pairing of Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson combining for a box plus-minus of -49, the San Francisco-based franchise was handed a 97-127 loss in Game 3 of the Western Conference Semifinals.

Even though LeBron James didn’t attempt a single shot in the entirety of his playing time in the 1st quarter, the King ended the night with a productive 21-point, 8-rebound, and 8-assist near triple-double outing. LBJ’s All-Star counterpart, Anthony Davis, also had a dominant performance – 25 points, 13 rebounds, and 4 blocks on 70% shooting.

While the Purple & Gold played some near-perfect basketball for the majority of the game, the defending champs were not half as energetic as they were in the previous clash. Only Stephen Curry had a 20+ point night, followed by Andrew Wiggins as the team’s second-highest scorer with 16 points.

“Watch the film, dissect it, be better”: Klay Thompson

Coming off a solid 30-point night, Thompson had a disappointing display. Playing a team-high 32:34 minutes, the Splash Brother only lodged 15 points and 7 rebounds. Not only did he turn the ball over 6 times, but also shot the ball at an inefficient 35.7% from the field and 33.3% from beyond the arc.

While talking about his forgettable performance, the 33-year-old mentioned acknowledged the errors he made and promised to be better in Game 4.

“I just wasn’t making the sharp crisp pass like I’m used to and I’ll watch the film and I’ll respond and I’ll play much better Monday.”

What many thought was the game’s momentum shifter, the Warriors suffered a 2nd quarter blow, being outscored 36-18. When asked about the 2nd period “unraveling”, the 4-time NBA champion didn’t sugarcoat in accepting the loss. Further, expecting the team to watch the film and improve on their mistakes, the 12-year veteran said:

“Just being mentally tougher and coming together as a team. Monday is a great opportunity for us to show what we’re about and hopefully our toughness… I think we are a very tough team and we got punked tonight, unfortunately. On the boards, on the glass, or at the free throw line. It’s on us to watch the film, dissect it, and be better.”

Despite the awful performance, Thompson achieves incredible feat in Game 3

While Klay’s 15-point outing might not be a stellar one, he did manage to achieve a feat that no one in the franchise’s history, other than Steph, has managed to.

On route to recording 15 points, the 5-time All-Star reached the 3,000 career playoff points.

A franchise for which legends such as Wilt Chamberlain, Rick Barry, and Chris Mullin, among many others have taken on the floor, Klay being only the 2nd player to achieve this feat is impressive.

Post Edited By: Raahib Singh
Golden State Warriors Klay Thompson Los Angeles Lakers

About the author

Avatar photo

Advait Jajodia

Advait Jajodia, an NBA and Tennis journalist for The SportsRush, has had a passion for both sports for over a decade. His admiration for Kobe Bryant, Stephen Curry, and Rafael Nadal pushed him to gain a profound understanding of the sports. With a background as a multi-sport athlete, Advait uses his experience on the hardwood and the court to offer insightful analysis. Over four years of dedicated sports journalism has equipped the 22-year-old with a unique perspective, reflected in his prolific portfolio of 4,700+ articles.

Don’t miss these