Klay Thompson has cemented his legacy as one of the greatest shooters of all-time, having set numerous remarkable 3-point shooting records during his decorated career with the Golden State Warriors.
However, it hasn't necessarily been the smoothest start for Thompson in Dallas, with the 34-year-old signing a three-year, $50 million contract with the Mavericks in a stunning free agency move during the offseason.
Mavs fans are realizing just how hot Klay Thompson can get from distance
Thompson did have a season-high 29 points and seven threes against his former team in December, earning some revenge after the Warriors ruined his home-coming at Chase Center a month earlier.
Outside of that it's been a little bit of a struggle for Thompson, having integrated into a slightly different role alongside Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving. The 5x All-Star is starting to round into form though, showcasing how quickly he can turn things around in a tale that's all too familiar to Warrior fans.
Thompson went 6-of-11 from distance against the New Orleans Pelicans on Wednesday at Smoothie King Center, dropping 20 points and four rebounds as Dallas recorded a tight 137-136 victory over their conference rival.
Klay's back at it 👌 pic.twitter.com/vjQHn1i6op
— Dallas Mavericks (@dallasmavs) January 30, 2025
Kyrie Irving, P.J. Washington and Daniel Gafford all also had at least 20 points for the victorious Mavericks, with the latter going a perfect 9-of-9 from the floor while adding 12 rebounds and four blocks in 34 minutes.
It comes just two days after Thompson exploded for seven threes and 21 points in the first-quarter of Monday's meeting with the Washington Wizards at American Airlines Center. The last two outings have signalled a drastic turnaround for the veteran guard who had averaged just 7.8 points and shot less than 39% from the floor in his five previous games.
Thompson has always been capable of exploding out of shooting slumps, often leading to some of the most memorable performances of his career. That was never more the case than on November 29, 2018 when Thompson had an NBA record 14 threes against the Chicago Bulls, having entered the game making just five of 36 (13.9%) 3-point attempts over the first seven games of that season.
While he (or anyone) may never reach those heights again, Mavericks fans are now getting a sense of the enjoyment Thompson can bring when he finds a shooting rhythm. Warriors fans know all about that, with Golden State currently missing some of that elite 3-point shooting that Thompson has become synonymous with.