Klay Thompson’s Torrid Season Gets Painful Pinch From Legendary Warriors Coach

Klay Thompson‘s season has been concerning for one too many reasons. Once held as one of the best shooters in the league alongside teammate Steph Curry, the Splash Brother is now struggling to make a significant impact. We have seen a dip in shooting percentages to a career-low 41.4 FG% and 37.1 3P%. This also includes an average of 14.5 FG attempts, the lowest in his career. This poor performance has been reflected in Coach Kerr’s decision to reduce the veteran’s minutes.

It was evident on Monday’s game against the Nets where Thompson was pulled out of the game with 7:19 minutes remaining in the last quarter. This was the second time in three games that he had been left out of the final lineup. While addressing this new trend, former Warriors coach Mark Jackson chimes in with his thoughts on the situation.

Ex-coach agrees that Thompson is having a poor season

During his stint as a coach with the Dub Nation, Mark had familiarised himself with Thompson as a player. So, in a recent appearance in the It Is What It Is show, he acknowledges that Thompson has lost his touch and his dwindling performance stands as proof. At the same time, he has full confidence that the resilient sharpshooter will put in the work and make a comeback. “He’s going to hold himself accountable, get in the gym early, stay late and Klay Thompson will be just fine… he’s not the type of guy that’s just gonna surrender,” he says.

Moreover, the former coach appreciates Thompson’s take on the situation because the 4X NBA Champion held himself accountable for his struggles on the court and blamed no one. Mark adds, “He’s an absolute pro, he’s an incredible worker, he’s a great competitor and he’s brutally honest with himself…What I like most is he didn’t make any excuses he owned the fact that he hadn’t been playing well.” Despite this, Mark believes that Thompson can never be a great defender again.

Klay Thompson is past his best days

Retracing to the glorious days, Thompson was a top-notch defensive guard and an even better shooter during his prime. But the Thompson we are seeing now is far from that. To this effect, Mark confidently says, “I don’t have to be a doctor to tell you he’s not going to get back to that level as a defender.” He attributes this to the plethora of injuries that Thompson has suffered and “the miles that he’s played” over the years, which has taken a toll on him.

Read More- NBA Champion Slams the Warriors for Prolonging Klay Thompson’s Misery, Suggests a “Change of Scenery”

Regardless, Mark believes that the Warriors star is still impactful offensively as a great shooter and that he is capable of being a good enough defender “on the right person,” although not on the same level as he was during his prime. Could this be the end of the Thompson era for the Warriors?

Is he capable of bouncing back stronger this season or has that ship already sailed? Share your thoughts!