SUMMARY
- Klay Thompson has been struggling greatly this season.
- Thompson committed a bad foul vs Los Angeles Clippers and cost his team the game.
NBA fans are making their feelings about Klay Thompson very clear in the wake of his most recent performance. The majority of the basketball community should be aware that Thompson is the shooting guard for the Golden State Warriors and was nicknamed a Splash Brother alongside Stephen Curry. In his prime, Klay could make an argument as one of the top long-distance shooters in the history of the NBA.
This season has not gone according to plan for Thompson as his shooting struggles continue to affect his team’s record and chances of making the playoffs. Since Klay played an integral role in the multiple championship runs that the Warriors went on over the years, one might assume that their fanbase should treat him better.
Be that as it may, fans were unable to hold back their emotions after the Warriors’ most recent game against the Los Angeles Clippers. Although basketball is a team sport, many believe that Klay deserves the bulk of the blame for their loss. That said, a closer look at the events that occurred and how the basketball community feels about it is undoubtedly required.Fans blame Klay Thompson for the Warriors’ recent loss vs LA Clippers
As already mentioned, basketball is a team sport and no single player deserves to be blamed for the loss of his team. However, there is no denying that Thompson has not been living up to expectations on either end of the court. He scored just 12 points, 3 rebounds, and 1 assist in 30 minutes of action for the Warriors.
More importantly, Klay made an error in judgment during the last segment of GSW’s match against the Los Angeles Clippers. After making a crucial three-pointer to close the score gap to 3 points, Klay ended up purposely fouling Russell Westbrook with 39 seconds left in the game.
If he had not done so, the Warriors might have been able to get a stop and make a last-minute three-pointer of their own to win the game. By fouling Westbrook, Klay essentially put the game out of reach. Upon noticing what Klay had done fans took to social media and called him out, “Klay shouldn’t be finishing games.”Klay shouldn’t be finishing games
— 🦇 (@Shadowiscold) February 15, 2024
It’s sad to see but Klay is done, the shots aren’t falling and there is not much else to fall back on
— Brad (@Bitey_26) February 15, 2024
Since Klay has been in a shooting slump for the majority of this season and clearly not the defender he used to be in the past, one can certainly understand why fans feel he shouldn’t be on the floor for the final segments of close games.
Can Thompson turn things around to salvage this season for GSW?
Although Klay is still shooting better when compared to the majority of the NBA, his numbers and efficiency are significantly lower than his career averages and are a cause of concern for Warriors fans. Not having Thompson at his best has inadvertently turned Jonathan Kuminga into the second-best player for the Warriors.
Klay is also in the final year of his contract and chose to bet on his play this season as opposed to signing a deal in the offseason. Therefore, his poor play could seriously affect his upcoming paycheck if it continues in this manner.In any case, shooters shoot and there is no way for Thompson to get out of this slump other than to continue shooting. At the moment, not many fans expect him to break out of his scoring slump and be the player he once was. Unfortunately for GSW fans, not having him playing at a high level reduces the chances of the Warriors being legitimate postseason contenders drastically.