SAN FRANCISCO – The Chase Center could have easily been mistaken for a nautical convention. After all, we are in the Bay. Most of the arena’s 18,000 fans donned captain’s caps Tuesday night for the return of arguably the most beloved warrior of all time besides Stephen Curry: four-time champion and five-time All-Star Klay Thompson.
Now a member of the visiting Dallas Mavericks, Thompson dedicated his first 11 NBA seasons to Golden State, and received a corresponding response from the San Francisco crowd. A video played on the jumbotron prior to his introduction into the starting lineup, showcasing his various incredible accomplishments, including his NBA-record 37-point quarter and 14 three-point games.
When his name was announced, every member of the crowd took off his captain’s hat (a nod to Thompson’s penchant for taking his boat across the Bay to practices and games) and saluted their beloved former Warrior. Thompson toured every corner of the Chase Center as he savored the emotional moment.
“It’s not just the skill with Klay, it’s not just the commitment to the organization, the competitive desire,” Warriors head coach Steve Kerr said before the game. “There’s an aura about him that connected our fans to him right away. That’s what it takes. It’s pretty rare to do all that and have that kind of impact. But Klay had it.”
The word “aura” perfectly encapsulated the vibes in Chase Center for Thompson’s return. The buzz was more vibrant, the energy was more powerful, and the fans were more excited. Although he was wearing a different uniform, the mere sight of Thompson and all the positive memories associated with his time in the Bay permeated the packed stadium. Every time the camera caught it, the crowd erupted in cheers.
But in the end, the night belonged to Curry and the Warriors on opening night of the NBA Cup. Late in the quarter, Curry broke out on a personal 12-0 run to turn a 114-108 deficit into a 118-114 lead in a thrilling 120-117 victory for Golden State.
Curry finished with 37 points, nine assists and six rebounds, while Thompson responded with 22 points, tying a season high, going 6 of 12 from deep. But it wasn’t enough as the Mavericks fell to 5-6 and the Warriors improved to 9-2.
Thompson joined the Mavericks on a three-year, $50 million sign-and-trade deal this offseason. He seemed destined to end his career as a Warrior, but it became clear once his free agency began that he and Golden State were not going to come to terms. In his first 10 games with Dallas, he averaged 14 points and four rebounds on 35% three-point shooting.
“He’s a true professional. He comes to work, he understands what it means to win,” Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd said before the game. “We can talk about his ability to shoot the ball, the space and his gravity, we can get him to move it. He’s going to create space for others. So when you talk about the big picture, it’s hard to find, and we didn’t do it.” We have that, and it was very necessary. “I think we were lucky to get it.”
Thompson has career averages of 19.5 points, 3.5 rebounds and 2.3 assists on shooting splits of 45/41/86. He scored a career-high 60 points for the Warriors in 2016, is known for his multiple clutch moments in the postseason and will likely be a first-ballot Hall of Famer when his time comes.
