The Golden State Warriors are in the NBA Finals for the first time since 2019, and there’s plenty of love to go around for a job well done, from ownership on down.
Most of the celebration revolves around the Warriors’ Big 3, Stephen Curry, Draymond Green, and Klay Thompson, returning to the league’s biggest stage when many said they’d never get there again. Thompson’s return The Finals is especially significant, given his recent injuries that mirrored the Warriors’ struggles the last two seasons.
The Warriors are back — in large part — because Thompson is all the way back. Case in point: he set an all-time mark for 3-pointers in the NBA Playoffs in Golden State’s clinching win against the Mavericks on Thursday, on his way to scoring 32 points, which led the team.
Thompson made exactly eight 3-pointers against the Mavericks on Thursday, on 8-for-16 shooting, reminding many of his classic “Game 6 Klay” performances over the years, especially against the Thunder in the 2016 NBA Playoffs.
After making it back to The Finals, it’s clearer than ever that the Curry, Green, and Thompson are one of the most lethal combinations in NBA history. And when the stakes are high, Thompson has the ability to bring his game to another level.
His shooting ability is an afterthought next to Curry’s own record-breaking shot, but without all of the hard work from Thompson to return from two devastating injuries, it’s doubtful the Warriors get near the NBA Finals, let alone get there. With the Big 3 back in action, Golden State has a chance to win their fourth NBA title in six appearances, all within an eight-year span.
Can you say dynasty, anyone? There’s a lot on the line, however. If the Warriors lose, they’ll be just 3-for-6 on title chances, with a 1-2 record without Kevin Durant. If they win, the Big 3 will completely validate their greatness. But just getting to The Finals is step No. 1 and Thompson pushed them over the finish line with big shots, as he often does.
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