Golden State Warriors guard Klay Thompson, left, shoots the ball over Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder guard Kenrich Williams within the first half of an NBA basketball recreation, Monday, Feb. 7, 2022, in Oklahoma Metropolis. (AP Photograph/Kyle Phillips)
The Warriors had been choking away the sport.
What was as soon as a 16-point lead had dwindled to five.
The sport was being performed within the half-court for the Warriors and the complete court docket for his or her opponent. The Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder had been creating turnovers and working towards a Dubs crew that wished it may do the identical.
It appeared like Golden State was going to be overtaken simply earlier than the end line.
However the Warriors had been in Oklahoma Metropolis, and that’s Klay Thompson’s home.
A daily-season recreation in February is nothing like a Sport 6 of the Western Convention Finals, however Thompson doesn’t take video games off towards the Thunder.
No matter it's in that enviornment — the vitality, the sight-lines, the edges — Thompson can’t assist however hit clutch pictures in OKC.
Monday night time it was two large 3-pointers within the remaining 150 seconds to raise the Warriors to a 110-98 win over the Thunder.
Thompson might need missed two-and-a-half years due to two large leg accidents, however he's rounding into his previous — no, his new and improved type.
Monday was simply the most recent reassurance. The Thunder could be a shell of the crew they as soon as had been, however Thompson — like using a motorcycle — can nonetheless convey lightning to the Plains.
And right here comes the true enjoyable half: Thompson has confirmed over the past month that his legs are beneath him. Offensively, he hasn’t missed a beat. The minutes are simply going to go up and up and up.
And the pictures will preserve taking place.
Monday, Thompson performed 29 minutes — a season-high.
It gained’t be lengthy till he goes above half-hour. The restriction on his minutes will likely be lifted totally quickly after that.
“It’s simply to have him again. He appears to be like nice on the market. He’s transferring nice. It’s enjoyable to have the ability to play him 29 minutes — we’ll bump that up,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr mentioned after the win. “I believe it’ll begin to be a cleaner rotation from right here on out. We gained’t have to consider it… Extra fluid, I ought to name it.”
Thompson may not be the dogged on-ball defender he as soon as was — that a part of his recreation is probably going behind him for good. However the Warriors don’t want that from him anymore. That’s Andrew Wiggins’ purview now.
However Thompson is a floor-spacer of the very best order and that might present the Dubs one of many few issues they've really wanted all season: a dependable second offensive possibility subsequent to Steph Curry, patricianly in late-game conditions.
It certain appeared that approach Monday, not less than. When the Warriors wanted a basket, Curry had the ball in his fingers and attacked the protection with both a excessive display screen or an isolation look that pulled defenders his approach.
Each instances, Curry’s pull left Thompson huge open on the prime of the important thing. Each instances Thompson knocked down the shot.
Everybody anticipated these Thompson pictures to fall. He’s the best catch-and-shoot participant of all time and he was getting excellent passes in excellent spots on the ground. To presume the Splash Brother’s jumper could be moist is greater than honest.
Wiggins and Jordan Poole had been on the ground for these clutch pictures. I wouldn’t be stunned if that is still the case all through the playoffs. Spacing is every part within the trendy recreation and people two gamers present loads.
However Thompson makes essentially the most of that spacing in a approach neither Poole nor Wiggins can.
Add in Thompson’s amplified means to place the ball on the ground post-absence and the Warriors have one harmful closing 4. It’s simply lacking a Draymond Inexperienced.
That’s a dialog down the road.
Within the meantime, contemplate this a celebration for Warriors followers and a warning for the remainder of the league.
Thompson might need misplaced a while, however he hasn’t misplaced a step. 
» Jonathan Kuminga is right here, and he’s not going away.
The final three video games have been checkpoints for the 19-year-old rookie from the Congo. – three of the NBA’s worst groups, three contests to actually push him.
It’s past debate that Kuminga has impressed and earned extra enjoying time.
The one query now's how it will translate towards the NBA’s greatest groups.
Let’s run by the numbers over the past three: 17.6 factors, 4.5 rebounds, 2.5 assists per recreation on 60 p.c capturing in 26 minutes per contest.
Sure, that’ll do.
Monday, towards an OKC crew the place Okay stands for teenagers, Kuminga went for 16 factors, 4 rebounds, and 4 assists in 23 minutes. It was a stellar efficiency. Kuminga was the most effective participant on the court docket for giant stretches of the sport, serving to the Warriors’ bench outscore the Thunders’ 46-21.
With Inexperienced and Nemanja Bjelica out, and Andre Iguodala leaving Monday’s recreation after six minutes with lower-back tightness, there are minutes each at wing and the 5 available over the 5 video games earlier than the NBA All-Star break.
The Warriors must run Kuminga for 20 minutes in every of these video games.
For all of the numbers, what most impressed Kerr on Monday night time was, after all, a display screen.
“He set a lovely display screen for Jordan and Jordan went in for a dunk,” Kerr mentioned. “What I cherished about that possession is that earlier, he had the ball and received it out of his fingers shortly and set the display screen. It was every part we preach every day… He’s beginning to really feel an increasing number of comfy with what we’re making an attempt to perform on the ground.” 
» The Warriors didn’t play an ideal recreation Monday. Removed from it.
And for people who need the Warriors so as to add one other large to the fold within the coming weeks, the Warriors’ efficiency towards the Thunder will likely be absolutely cited as a purpose why.
The Warriors had been rocked on the glass Monday. Oklahoma Metropolis pulled down 3 times as many offensive rebounds as Golden State — 18 to six.
It was an enormous purpose why the sport was shut late.
With just one true heart on the roster — Kevon Looney — the Warriors are going to surrender dimension to almost each crew within the NBA.
However Kerr didn’t blame the dearth of inches, he blamed the dearth of effort for the rebounding differential, saying that when groups play small they should be proactive relatively than reactive.
He thought the Warriors had been reactive Monday.
I agree with him.
The Warriors have extra benefits than disadvantages by enjoying small. That’ll be true for the remainder of the season and past.
If the Warriors convey vitality to the glass and are nonetheless getting labored, then a dialog is warranted. However I doubt such a day comes — rebounding has by no means been a matter of sheer physicality, it’s a matter of need.
The Thunder had been extra aggressive on the glass Monday. I doubt the Warriors repeat their lackluster effort towards the Jazz on Wednesday.