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Back on Dec. 5, 2016, Klay Thompson broke the game of basketball when he erupted for a career-high 60 points in 29 minutes against the Indiana Pacers.
Fast-forward to Dec. 5, 2022, Warriors coach Steve Kerr reflected on that unforgettable night.
“We’ve seen Klay get hot a lot over the years, but there are a few games that stand out and that’s one of them,” Kerr told reporters before Monday’s game. “He’s not just hot, he’s like unconscious. That was a magical night, everybody could feel it — the fans, his teammates, Steph [Curry] was running up and down the sidelines going crazy.
“Those are some of my favorite memories, coaching this team. When Klay gets like that, there’s a magic in the air.”
Facing the same opponent six years later, Thompson didn’t drop 60, but he did have another historic performance in the Warriors’ 112-104 loss to the Pacers at Chase Center.
The Splash Bro finished with a team-high 28 points and made eight of his 16 3-point attempts — including three consecutive 3s in the second quarter to tie the game and pull the Dubs out of a 13-point deficit.
The first triple of the sequence came on a fastbreak pull-up jumper. The next two were in nearly the same exact spot as the first.
Splash. Splash. Splash.
Like the Warriors bench, fans at Chase Center erupted after Thompson’s second 3-pointer and then completely lost their minds after he hit the third.
It was a different outcome. Different circumstances. But it was that same magical feeling Kerr had talked about that was felt at Chase Center on Monday night.
“Klay kept us afloat awhile tonight, making eight 3s,” Kerr said postgame. “He had it going a couple of times in the game to kind of keep us in it. He’s obviously a huge reason why we’ve been able to win championships and the reason why he’s going to the Hall of Fame.
“He’s an incredible player.”
Speaking of the Hall of Fame, Thompson’s eight treys put him at 1,989 career threes and elevated him two spots on the NBA’s all-time 3-point list, passing NBA legends Dirk Nowitzki (1,982) and Jason Kidd (1,988) on Monday.
“I love both of those guys,” Thompson said. “Especially Dirk as a shooter. JK just as a baller. Bay legend. Oh yeah, it means a lot to me. I don’t take it for granted. Two of the all-time greats right there so that means a lot to me.”
For Curry, he knew it was just a matter of time for his Splash Brother.
RELATED: What we learned as Warriors’ home winning streak snapped
“Some people kind of say it’s like a matter of time but you appreciate all of those moments,” Curry said. Now Klay passed two legends, two Hall of Famers, it’s pretty dope. Over his career, slowly he’ll be climbing up that list and there will be a lot of respect for him as a shooter, him as that clutch guy that can knock it down no matter where he’s at.
“He’s set a high standard for what shooting the basketball is in today’s game.”
While Thompson understands a 60-piece doesn’t come every day, he’s appreciative to just be able to play the game that he loves after overcoming so much adversity.
“I would like to have more of them but I can’t force it. Those nights tend to happen when I just play within my means and be myself,” Thompson said. “As much as I wish I could go out there and score 60 to commemorate that, it just doesn’t work like that.
“But that was a very special memory for me and hopefully, I’ll do it again. That was just one of those nights that will live, hopefully, for a long time in the minds of Warriors fans.”
It will, Klay. It will.
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