Three bold postseason predictions

Klay Thompson will break Michael Jordan’s single-game scoring record

Klay Thompson can get hotter than any player in the league. He gets even hotter than his teammates Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant, two of the league’s most potent offensive players. Thompson is absolutely explosive.

The All-Star shooting guard has a high release and a quick trigger that makes it hard for defenders to bother him. He’s the league’s best catch-and-shoot player, maximizing his touches. He doesn’t need a whole lot of space to get his shot off.

Once he gets going, it’s nearly impossible to stop him. Some of the best scoring performances in league history belong to Thompson. He scored 37 points in a quarter and 60 points in 29 minutes. He also hit 11 three-pointers in Game 6 of the Western Conference Finals for 41 points.

If anyone is going to break that record, it’s Thompson (until Devin Booker gets on a team good enough to make the playoffs). He has the firepower and a system willing to let him reach that mark. The Warriors like to play fast and if there’s a shootout with another high powered offense, then he could get the looks to do it.

Klay Thompson will break Michael Jordan’s record of 63 points in a playoff game. He has the ability to catch fire in an instant. Once he sees a few go down, it could be trouble.

Thompson’s 60 point outburst was cut short because it was a relatively meaningless regular season playoffs. Steve Kerr could afford to take him out in the blowout win over the Indiana Pacers. If he were to get into a similar rhythm in a playoff game, the ending might be a little different.

He could have easily gone for 80 that night. Maybe more. But there was no need to keep him in the game and have him play in the fourth quarter.

The playoffs are different. It’s hard to imagine a situation–even a blowout–where Thompson doesn’t see some fourth quarter minutes. He’d just keep on firing, especially if he’s getting close to the record.

He will break that record this year.