In Golden State, the defending champs are trying their best to keep their heads above the water. But without Stephen Curry, in a Western Conference that is getting deeper by the day, the Dubs have found it impossible to avoid racking up losses.
Their only chance to avoid a total collapse is if Klay Thompson helps them avoid one, and he has proven himself to be more than capable of that feat over his storied career so far.
Sadly, this isn’t the same Klay we’re used to seeing. After battling two major injuries in back-to-back seasons, it’s not hating to say that Klay has regressed a bit on both ends of the floor.
But despite his injury-riddled past and the current state of his game, Klay is determined to make at least one more All-Star appearance before it’s all said and done.
Back in June, with the Warriors on the verge of the championship, Thompson allowed himself a moment of unbridled optimism, predicting he’d be an All-Star again soon—a proclamation that elicits a warm laugh when it’s read back to him. “Oh man, biiiig talk,” he says with a smile, though he’s quick to reiterate the goal.
“I’m gonna do it again, at least one more time before I’m done,” he says, tugging at the black rubber wristband on his right arm—a memento from the New York All-Star Game in 2018. That the All-Star MVP trophy is now named for Bryant, one of Thompson’s biggest idols, just adds to his motivation. “I’d love to shoot for that,” he says.
Klay Thompson says he will make All-Star team again and plans to shoot for All-Star MVP: https://t.co/ZC4BqintX2
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) December 23, 2022
Klay’s confidence has always been one of the best parts of his game. Hot or cold, rain or shine, he’s never going to shy away from the moment and he’ll always bet on himself when given the chance.
But when you look at the Warriors this season, it’s hard not to think it’s already over for them.
Can Klay Thompson Keep The Warriors Alive?
Without Curry, it will be up to Klay, Draymond, Wiggins, and Poole to fill in the gaps and keep the team afloat. The season is still young, but there is a surprising lack of belief in the NBA community right now.
“Yes, it is [the lowest we’ve seen them],” said Stephen A. Smith after the Warriors blowout loss to the Nets. “We all know that Steph Curry is out, we understand that and we expected more from Klay. Consistently, he hasn’t been there even though he’s had more than a few moments this season. We hope he gets it going. Jordan Poole, I like Jordan Poole a lot and I’m glad he got his money but it’s time to earn it my brother. Here’s the reality of the situation: If I’m Joe Lacob, if I’m Bob Myers, I’m disgusted with what I’m seeing. Yes, they’re the reigning defending champions and they deserve a lot of credit for that. But what we need to recognize is that you don’t just get paid for what you’ve done, you get paid for what you’re projected to do moving forward. And there’s no way that they signed up for this… you got to be better than this. Do you know how bad you have to be down 40 at halftime? I mean good lord, what a disgrace. I can’t recognize these Warriors right now… where the hell are the Golden State Warriors? We ain’t talking about a loss now, we’re talking about getting your ass kicked. I mean come on, it’s embarrassing.”
At 15-18 on the season, the Warriors are hovering around .500 with a few more weeks to go until Steph’s return. It’s going to be a rough stretch for the Dubs, but if they can grab just enough wins here in this stretch, I might just be enough to keep them in the play-in territory.
And once you have a healthy Steph in the playoffs, you can beat any team in the league.
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