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Road to the Championship: Klay Thompson’s Perfect Quarter

By Sumeet Paul

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Golden State Warriors star Klay Thompson was responsible for a number of memorable moments last season, none more so than his record-breaking quarter.

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The numbers essentially tell the story, with the Warriors shooting guard setting a new NBA record after scoring 37 points in one quarter against the Sacramento Kings back in January.

Importantly, he helped his team to a 126-101 win after accumulating 52 points overall, and it made a real statement around the world as many started to take real notice of the Warriors star being a legitimate All-Star and one of the top players in his position in the NBA.

Thompson hit all 13 of his field-goal attempts, including nine three-pointers, and perhaps the most remarkable aspect of his history-making achievement was that he only went to the free-throw line twice. In what was a sensational performance from the 25-year-old, it was another defining moment in the season for Golden State as they marched on towards a championship.

The atmosphere inside the Oracle was something special in itself, and as Thompson hit shot after shot and lit up from beyond the arc, it will go down as one of the most incredible individual performances in the league’s glorious history.

However, it was bigger than that in the sense that it was another defining night for Thompson on an individual basis as well as giving the team another boost and the belief that they could not be stopped. Coupled with Stephen Curry and the various offensive weapons that coach Steve Kerr had at his disposal, the Warriors essentially came to the realisation that if they were on their game, they could beat anybody.

While that would primarily come from a collective effort, a spectacular individual performance was always in their locker courtesy of either Curry or Thompson and that belief played a huge role in getting them to their objective and never giving up. They had to wait to face adversity, but they never lost faith in the process and their own ability. Thompson noted that on several occasions through the NBA Finals against the Cleveland Cavaliers, stating that when they clicked, they would win.

On a personal level, Thompson had so many questions to answer last season. After signing his big-money contract, he had to prove that he belonged in that bracket and deserved the investment and faith that the franchise had put in him.

Although he was ultimately judged on his overall contribution to the title-winning run, performances like on that night in January against the Kings ensured that he was able to become a star of the league in his own right and write his name in the history books.

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