I'm pretty amazed by how few dribbles he took... this is pretty impressive to me. Obviously he scores a lot differently than how someone like Harden/Kobe does, but last night was pure efficiency and a really good example of how to play off ball
This is what I said and called a hater. It reminds me of David Robinson's 71 point game, it looks super impressive on the score sheet, but when you watch the actual game you realize there was literally no defense. If I were the Indiana coach, I would sit Monta's ass the rest of the season for that pathetic effort he displayed that night on the defensive end.
If Klay had any handles he could be 3rd wheel Harden back in OKC days. Harden left and became a superstar but without the handle not sure Klay could do that.
Klay Thompson is the product of the Warriors system - even more so than Green. He held the ball for only 80 seconds because all the shots were created for him - and it's been like that his entire career. The key here is that he recognizes it and is comfortable with it. He knows his role. I don't see him ever leaving the Warriors, unless Curry goes first. Once Curry leaves, that's when the 'system' falls apart.
Pretty sure it didn't fall apart when Curry was hurt last year and Klay was the only legit scorer. Still able to beat Rockets and Blazers with Klay as the only legit scorer
Impossible to stop a player from creating a foot of space(or less) somewhere 22-26 feet behind the basket. Thompson has absolutely mastered the catch and shoot. You have the catch and shoot master, on the same team as the 3pt shot creating master(Curry), and all round scoring master(Durant). Amazing. Oh also, they have the kicking mule master too. What a team.
Ignore it? Seems like half the posts on here are about just that. I don't know if he'd have made it to 81 anyway though. He was averaging 20 a quarter, so he'd have to up it in the 4th. And you know, with the game out of hand, if the Warriors tried to pad his stats the Pacers would have shifted to stopping Klay.
To be fair to Monta, after the assault started there wasn't much he could do. Certainly he's not a great defender, and that played into it. But once Klay got rolling, it's just a matter of him getting open in transition, and running of back screens, which he does masterfully. The Pacers weren't switching appropriately and the Warriors system and talent make it confusing for all teams to switch appropriately on them. They just move so much and in rhythm, and are such capable scorers, people are getting open. The Pacers certainly could have tried things to just say we're not going to let that guy keep going off. Wouldn't have changed the outcome of the game, though. This is random, and I know on paper the idea of a zone is crazy against a team that can shoot so well from the outside... but at this point you have to wonder if it might nonetheless disruptive to their system, as the zone is less impacted by back picks and cuts and the like.
He's not a shot creator and can't be the number one option on a championship team. He has to be on a more balanced scoring offense. He is in a great situation.
He is 2nd or 3rd option on a team. He can never be a franchise player. Even his good defense has been subpar this year. If his shots aren't falling, he is useless. If the Warriors want to win the title this year, they should trade him for a stud center.
true,but in the playoffs, things will slow down and they will get pounded inside and have to play defense which takes a toll on them offensively. teams like the spurs , cavs, or clippers in a 7 game series will wear them down with their bigs.
