Only Klay Thompson can save Golden State Warriors from themselves

The Golden State Warriors are crashing back to reality as it is becoming crystal clear they have no chance of competing in the playoffs without Klay Thompson.

It isn’t much of a hot take to say the Dubs need Thompson. The last two seasons serve as enough of a sample size to know the Warriors don’t pack much of a punch without the Splash Brothers.

Yet, Golden State kicked this season off in a strong way. It felt like a statement to the rest of the league. With the Warriors running away with the best record in the league back in November, the same question was on everyone’s mind — is it fair for this team to add Klay Thompson?

Now, we are seeing not only is it fair, but Thompson’s return is absolutely vital to the Warriors’ hopes of being a force in the postseason.

Klay Thompson is not simply going to push the Golden State Warriors over the top, he is going to stop them from falling off a cliff.

Seeing as how Curry has a healthy resume as one of the greatest shooters of all time, I feel okay admitting he has been awful in December. By his standards, of course.

Going back to Nov. 21, Curry is shooting 38.1 percent from deep. Which, is actually well above league-average. However, he has had multiple clunkers, with the worst shooting night of his life (4-of-21) against Phoenix — which he nearly duplicated in Philly by shooting 6-of-20.

Curry is shooting a career-low from both the floor (43.3 percent) and 3-point line (40.4 percent), excluding his five games played in 2019-20.

This is more than just an unusual shooting slump for Curry. The credit has to be given where it is due as opponents are playing bone-crunching defense on the two-time MVP. But, the blame also has to be placed on the Warriors’ supporting cast.

It is a trend we have become quite familiar with. Ever since the Toronto Raptors first blitzed Curry in the 2019 NBA Finals, opponents have had the blueprint to neutralize the Warriors.

The strategy is simple, at least as simple as stopping Stephen Curry could possibly be. Harass him with lanky, athletic defenders and devote all of your attention to stopping him from finding breathing room. Forget names like Draymond Green, Kevon Looney and Andre Iguodala — just trap Curry.

There is a reason why well-coached teams full of athletic wings like the Raptors, Philadelphia 76ers and Suns have held Curry to a combined 13-for-45 (28 percent) from deep recently. No one on the Dubs is capable of making opponents pay for overloading on Curry.

That is… until Thompson returns.

Sure, Andrew Wiggins and Jordan Poole are having the best years of their career but even they are too inconsistent to deter quality defenses from favoring them over Curry. That will all change when Thompson, one of the most consistent shooters in league history, is back on the floor.

The Warriors need Thompson more than ever. He is not simply the piece that will make them unbeatable again. Thompson is the only player who can patch up the Dubs’ biggest weakness.