Golden State Warriors: The mysterious struggle of Klay Thompson

What’s happening to Golden State Warriors star shooting guard Klay Thompson?

One thing we weren’t prepared for to the start the season was a serious slump by the usually consistent Golden State Warriors star, Klay Thompson. How rare is this slump and when can we expect him to snap out of it?

Klay notched his second straight less-than-desireable game to start the season last night against the Utah Jazz, scoring just 12 points. He managed to score less than Draymond Green who chipped in 14 in the Dubs thrilling one-point victory.

In the Dubs first game, an eight-point win over Oklahoma City, Klay shot just 4-for-20, scoring 14 points. Now a combined 9-for-29 and 1-10 from deep, Klay’s performance might be starting to be a cause for concern.

There was only one two-game stretch last season where Klay scored less than 15 points in both games. The only difference is those two games were against two of the league’s worst defenses in New York and Houston.

The Dubs last two games have both been against stout defenses. Utah has a legitimate claim to the league’s best defense while Oklahoma City is also loaded with solid defenders. That’s never been a problem for Klay though.

Even in the Dubs two forty-point losses to Utah last season, Klay still averaged 25 points per game. These struggles are typical from Thompson and that’s why it’ll be interesting to see if he can snap out of it as the Dubs play another solid defensive team in Denver on Sunday.

The bad news for Klay is that, unless he’s shooting and subsequently scoring, he doesn’t have a huge role in the offense. He’s tallied just one assist and racked up four turnovers over the first two games, a ratio not fit for a king.

Altogether, this certainly isn’t the start Klay was hoping for. With offseason drama regarding his father and his desire for Klay to play for his hometown team, the Los Angeles Lakers, it seems rather unsettling that Klay’s been struggling early.

As far as the contract situation goes, the Dubs and Klay are on the same page long term, and it seems he’ll be set to snag a max this offseason. He needs to continue to prove he’s worth it first.