The sounds of Klay Thompson‘s great career are starting to disappear and become a faraway memory from his best days. On a cold night in the West Coast, the Golden State Warriors played against Orlando Magic and Thompson had to deal with an unexpectedly bad season. The columnist Monte Poole shares a sad truth. He notes that Thompson hasn’t been on the All-Star team for years and questions if his career may finish soon. Klay Thompson’s battle against time never shows pity.
Thompson’s diminishing role and the toll of basketball mortality
In a pre-game show, Monte Poole, the seasoned columnist, painted a poignant picture of Thompson’s current predicament. He made it sound very sad and real. He said, “He hasn’t been an All-Star in five years. And that was a goal of his. And it’s not going well, you know. So it’s almost like he’s facing the possibility of his career’s mortality to a degree.” The frustration was palpable as Thompson, a veteran of the game, confronted the harsh reality of his diminished role.
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"It's almost like he's facing … the mortality of his career."@MontePooleNBCS on Klay's struggles this season pic.twitter.com/xXfFAuORxr
— Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) January 3, 2024
Poole’s words touched the core of Thompson’s dreams. He wanted to become an All-Star once more, a reward he hasn’t received for five years. This thought bothers him. The tiredness from games fought on the hardwood floor creates a sad image. Thompson, a man known for his shooting talents, is now facing an obvious drop in his defensive abilities.
Klay Thompson’s struggle with form and coach’s dilemma
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In the early days of 2024, Klay Thompson found himself entangled in the challenge of reclaiming his renowned shooting finesse. The three-game slump leading up to the clash against Orlando saw him grappling with a stark drop in performance, averaging a mere 8.3 points on a concerning 23.5% shooting from the field. This slump was a big change from his recent rise, where he scored a lot in six straight games. He averaged 25.7 points and made almost half of his field goals and three-pointers.
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During the changing season, Coach Steve Kerr talked about Thompson’s growing shot choice. He said it started to change from wild and forced efforts back in mid-December to a calm style. But the battle right now is not just about picking which shots to use.
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This has been agreed upon by Kerr. Thompson’s strange mistakes, like when he missed in the game against Dallas, make things difficult for the Golden State Warriors. They have to decide if there are any changes they need to make about his job late in matches.