SUMMARY
- Klay Thompson expressed frustration after being benched in the final minutes of the Golden State Warriors' game against the Brooklyn Nets.
- Warriors' head coach Steve Kerr opted to replace Klay Thompson with rookie Gui Santos in the closing lineup against the Nets.
The Golden State Warriors faced off against the Brooklyn Nets at the Barclays Center on February 5, 2024. As Stephen Curry and Jonathan Kuminga ruled the hardwood, there was a veteran who couldn’t close tonight’s win over the Nets, 109-98. The star guard of the Dubs Nation could bag just 8 points, 6 rebounds, and 3 assists in his 30 minutes on the court.
As the media made its way into the locker room, the ‘not-so-good’ emotional state of the Warriors’ guard was well evident. The Athletic’s Anthony Slater floated a video with Klay Thompson in the frame. While the players were celebrating the win in the locker room, Thompson didn’t seem well. When asked about how he was feeling, he said, “I feel great physically. Mentally, probably a little different story.”
Klay Thompson: “Yeah, you kidding me? To go from one of the best players… It’s hard for anybody.”
Draymond Green: “I didn’t close Game 5 of the Finals. Who the f*ck cares?” 😅
(via @anthonyVslater)pic.twitter.com/dIGx5s23aQ
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) February 6, 2024
He continued, “Go from, you know, one of the best players… It’s hard for anybody.” Well, getting benched in the final minutes of the fourth quarter might not make the player feel good. ‘Sea Captain’ must be biting the bullet right now, as this is the second time in three games that he has been benched. Not being part of the closing lineup must be frustrating for the future Hall of Famer.
However, for Draymond Green, that’s not much of a big deal. If Thompson was left out of the closing lineup, then who was sent in his place?
Steve Kerr preferred rookie Santos over veteran Klay Thompson
With 7:19 remaining in the fourth quarter, the Bay Area Team changed its lineup. The closing lineup then included Stephen Curry, rookie Gui Santos, Moses Moody, Lester Quinones, and Draymond Green. Head coach Steve Kerr replaced the 33-year-old guard by rookie Santos.
Gui Santos has played a grand total of 8 games in the 2023–34 season with the roster. And sending him down the stretch in place of ‘Game 6 Klay’ seems like a pretty gutsy decision. Thompson is indeed facing shooting struggles of late. The same pattern was recorded in the Warriors win vs. the Memphis Grizzlies on February 2, 2024.
In that game as well, Kerr took a risk by sending rookie Santos, Jonathan Kuminga, and Brandin Podziemski alongside Stephen Curry to finish off the game. As far as Thompson’s shooting career is concerned, the player seems to be in hot water right now.
Kerr admits that it’s been a difficult season for Klay Thompson
When asked about the recent dip in his performance, Steve Kerr said, “This is a season where he’s had a lot of ups and downs. It’s not easy for a guy who’s been so good and a Hall of Fame player to deal with the injuries.” Klay is averaging 17.3 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 2.3 assists, with 41.5% shooting from the deep.
His tepid performance vs. the Grizzlies, the Atlanta Hawks, and now the Nets are emblematic of his shooting struggles. The shooting guard is trailing in terms of shooting from the three-point line, as it’s just 37.4% now.
Earlier, he was regarded as one of the best pure shooters in league history; however, the aging ankles might be taking a toll on his performance. Thompson is in the final season of his $190 million (approx.) five-year deal and is having the worst season since 2012–2013.