SAN FRANCISCO – Now, the trick is how to conjure up a certain magic without trying. The Warriors’ current predicament — after a 121-106 win over the Lakers in Game 5 on Wednesday to preserve their season — begs for a certain brand of stunner. It evokes memories of past brilliance, the kind that turned Klay Thompson into a legendary figure and brought the owner to his knees.
They can use the 6 clay game.
Thompson definitely feels he deserves it. His slump continued even in the center chase, where he was last seen burning out. But since his 30-point performance in Game 2, when he made 8 of 11 of 3, he’s been shooting like a ceramic ball. He totaled 34 points on 37 shots in Games 3-5 combined. More like Klay Thompson.
“He was great everywhere else,” said Gary Payton II. It came with some great stops. huge.”
However, the longer the recession, the more likely it is to erupt. He never stayed.
With a season and dynasty hanging in the balance, with the way these Western Conference semifinals have unfolded, now is the right time for one of his own. This plot seems predictable.
think about it. Thompson grew up in SoCal rooting for the Lakers, the team his father played for and now works as a broadcaster. He idolized Kobe Bryant, who turned Staples’ first center into a mansion. Now, Thompson goes home on Friday for the biggest game of the season, in front of his friends and family, in the stadium of his dreams, with a chance to be champion. And he’s heading into this scenario after making 8 of his last 24 from 3.
This script writes itself.
This is also a concern. Because legend summoning is not automatic as before. When the character was born, in Game 6 of the 2016 Western Conference Finals, calling him felt as easy as saying “Beetlejuice” three times. With devastating leg injuries sidelining him for two seasons, now that he’s 33, the recall is even more delicate. It comes with more risks. Many times since his return, his determination to be what he used to be prevents him from reaching that level. Friday will require graceful balance from Thompson.
Aggressive and patient.
Ambitious yet confident.
hungry instead of thirsty.
The encouraging side for the Warriors is that they may not need an epic Game 6. Beating the Lakers in this series so far hasn’t required a monster performance. But effectiveness is of paramount importance. The way the Lakers defend Stephen Curry, the way they sell to contain him, leaves them vulnerable to another player punishing them. They dare other warriors to defeat them.
What’s more, the game plan for the Warriors is to swarm. They want to run. They want to attack from all angles. And they have to work 3 seconds. Especially on the road. Game 5 proved how hard it is to defend when others are aggressive and rolling.
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Wednesday, Andrew Wiggins kicked it up a notch.
His 25 points was the most he’d scored since Game 5 of the last NBA Finals, when he scored 26 to put the Celtics on the brink of elimination. His 18 shots were the second most in this postseason, led by the 19 shots he made in Game 2 against Sacramento in the first round.
But the numbers don’t tell us what juice the Warriors got from Wiggins’ aggression, and how he forced the rotation by doggedly working his way into the paint and punishing poor defenders. He also caught 5 assists because his pressure created chances for others. Wiggins was the release valve for an offense that was pressured by the Lakers defense.
“Wigs was aggressive as hell,” said Draymond Green.
Wiggins said he thought he missed some chances on offense in Game 4. The offense was more focused on getting Wiggins into action on Wednesday as well, making sure he got the touches he needed.
“It’s the best version of who he is and how he can influence games,” Curry said. “He gets a whopping 18 shots. We need that every night. And we as a team have to feature him also at certain points in the game because he’s athletic and can create his own shot. I have to feed it to him and let him do his thing.”
It was Draymond Green who set the tone though. It is no coincidence that in the Warriors’ two victories in this series, Green was double digits in field goal attempts each. Not only is the Lakers backing away from him, which creates opportunities for him to attack. But Green is also the kind of guy who pushes the pace and gets the Warriors’ offensive chances before the Lakers’ defense is hired. On a few occasions, Green called his number.
It helped that he demolished his first triple-pointer of the series, which tends to raise it a bit. But he came craving for foam and decided to be a force in attack.
The reason Payton II is so successful in this series is because it can also take advantage of these slots. He runs hard to grab lanes opened up by the distracted Lakers. It’s a good wobbler and very instinctive around the edge, it looks inward. He’s 17-for-20 in the paint in this series.
The Warriors could be up 3-2 right now if Payton played more in the fourth quarter of Game 4.
What matters now is that the Lakers must count Wiggins. You must take into account the green color, which dictates the rhythm. You must account for Payton. All with an eye on Carrie.
This may be enough to loosen Thompson in the kind of toned-down shots, control, and flows he needs. The Lakers were pressing him to make his appearance. They would rather make shots than dribble. This leads to long periods of few takes for Thompson, who works out his patience and gets him to press.
In Game 4, he cost the Warriors tremendously, taking a few ill-advised shots that fueled the Lakers’ momentum. In Game 5, some forced a mojo search. But he realized he didn’t have it and backed off.
Before that, though, he came off a dribbling delivery from Kevon Looney on the right wing. He practically stopped jumping before firing, and seemed focused on placing his feet and keeping his balance upright as he fired, avoiding his tendency to crouch or drift. It was a clean shot and a 3-pointer dig, and the Warriors put up eight points with the minute left in the first half. Curry followed by hitting a 3 and the Warriors entered the locker room with an 11-point cushion.
Thompson only hit four shots in the second half.
“The thing with Klay is that he’s an amazing two-way basketball player,” said Steve Kerr. “That’s what wins the playoffs. Shooting comes and goes, even for the better. But if you can defend, which Klay clearly can do, then you can help a team win a playoff, and in Klay’s case, a lot of playoff games. So the The great thing is we know Clay deserves a good shooting night, but whether that comes or not, we know his defense is going to impact the game.”
The last time 6 Clay was featured, he was seen bouncing on the floor of the Chase Center, clutching a six-finger. That was May 13, 2022. He hit 8 of 14 of 3, leading the way with 30 as the Warriors eliminated Memphis.
Thompson tried to make it out of Game 6 of the 2022 NBA Finals and went 5-of-20 from the court, hitting just 2 of his 3s and finishing with 12 points. It didn’t matter because the Warriors won and Möet poured every breath in celebration of the tournament.
He got another chance in the last series. The Warriors could shut out Sacramento on the same floor in Game 6. He went 8-for-20, hitting 2-of-9 in 3.
It seems like the perfect time to revive the icon. The game and the moment he craves, fits the story of his career. Doing so may require that you not try to be Game 6 Clay.
“We’ll see on Friday,” Peyton said. “What we really need is Game 6 Warriors.”
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(Photo: Tyler Ross/NBAE via Getty Images)