10 things about Klay Thompson's 60-point performance
There's nothing quite like when Klay Thompson gets on a roll.
There was 37 points in a quarter against the Sacramento Kings two seasons back which set an NBA record. Thompson topped that by draining 11 treys to save the Golden State Warriors from disaster in Game 6 of the Western Conference Finals (a win that helped recruit Kevin Durant).
Monday against the Indiana Pacers was yet another instant classic for Thompson, scoring 60 points in under three quarters in a shooting display for the ages.
Here's 10 things to know about Thompson's latest outburst:
1. Klay came close to Wilt's in 100-point game
Thompson scored 60 points in 29 minutes, good for an average of 2.07 points per minute. That's a hair off Wilt Chamberlain's famous 100-point night when he managed 2.08 points per minute over a full game.
2. Steve Kerr ruined the fun
Credit Kerr for being a good sport. He didn't want to show up the Pacers and limited Thompson to only 29 minutes in three quarters because it was a blowout by halftime.
But that begs the question: How many points would Thompson have scored if Kerr let him cook? We'll always be left wondering.
3. Thompson had the ball for 90 seconds in total
Five players on the Warriors held the ball more than Thompson, who only had it for approximately 90 seconds. Teammates mostly looked for Thompson coming off screens, or cutting to the basket.
4. Klay shot better with a defender in his face
Thompson only went 10-of-19 on uncontested field goals with no defender within four feet, as per Player Tracking data from NBA.com. Compare that to 11-of-14 on contested looks.
It doesn't make any sense.
5. Lone gunner
Mid-way through the second quarter, Thompson's line read:
- 32 points
- 0 rebounds
- 0 assists
- 0 steals
- 0 blocks
- 0 turnovers
He really didn't need to do anything else.
6. 60 points in 3 quarters isn't even an NBA record
Thompson came close, but Kobe Bryant still holds the record for most points in three quarters with his 62-point explosion against the Dallas Mavericks in 2005.
One month later, Bryant went for 81 against the Toronto Raptors.
7. Klay should've had more
Durant is a hard man to please. He told reporters after Monday's game that Thompson, in his estimation, could've joined Bryant and Chamberlain as the only players in NBA history to top 80 points.
"He should’ve had 80, to be honest," Durant deadpanned.
8. Rocco comes first
Warriors team owner Joe Lacob missed Thompson's 37-point quarter, but he did catch this game, and sought to make amends by gifting Thompson a single rose after the game.
"I’ll give this to Rocco," Thompson joked, referring to his dog.
9. No sacrifices for Klay
Thompson was ridiculed when he proclaimed during the summer that he wouldn't be "sacrificing s---" after Durant's addition.
It turns out he was absolutely right. Thompson is actually taking more shots per minute than he was last season. And why wouldn't he? The Warriors thrive on finding the open shooter and they fed Thompson non-stop Monday.
10. Warriors have 'another gear'
Lost in the shuffle of Thompson's game is that the Warriors are tops in the NBA with an 18-3 record, which puts them on pace for yet another 70-win season.
Along the way, the Warriors have proven themselves to be as scary as always. Thompson had his signature game Monday, Stephen Curry drained 13 triples last month, Draymond Green is in the discussion for Defensive Player of the Year, and Kevin Durant is enjoying a career season.
But the scariest part of all? The Warriors feel like they can still improve.
"We're only 21 games in," Thompson told ESPN's Ethan Sherwood Strauss. "There's definitely another gear."