Dallas Mavericks, Klay Thompson
Dallas Mavericks, Klay Thompson | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Klay Thompson's time with the Dallas Mavericks ended prematurely last week, as the team bought him out, allowing him to enter free agency. The four-time NBA champion then signed with the Miami Heat to play alongside Giannis Antetokounmpo, and the Heat are about to learn a lesson about Thompson that the fans are going to love: his shooting can completely change a game in a short amount of time.
Klay Thompson can still get hot quickly
This is arguably the best part about Thompson's game at 36 years old. While he may not be shooting with the same efficiency he had with the Golden State Warriors, when he gets hot, he's extremely hard to cool off.
He's a flamethrower from beyond the arc, and if he sees consecutive shots go down, he could be in for a massive game. His confidence is still extremely high, and pouring in multiple threes in consecutive possessions can give his team the momentum it needs to pull away from the other team or pull off a comeback.
The Mavericks learned this lesson immediately in 2024
The Mavericks learned that Thompson's shooting can change a game during his first game with the team on October 24, 2024, against the San Antonio Spurs. It only took him one game in Dallas to prove his worth.
Thompson scored 22 points, grabbed seven rebounds, and was a +16 in his Mavericks debut, but his second-half performance in that game was what was really special.
He scored just eight points and was a -7 in the first half of the game while shooting 2-5 from three. Thompson didn't start as well as fans would've hoped, but he helped swing the game in Dallas' favor in the third and fourth quarters.
The Mavericks were down by two points at halftime and ended up winning the game by 11 points. A big reason for this was Thompson heating up like a pizza oven.
The former Splash Brother scored 14 points in the second half while shooting 4-5 from beyond the arc. He drilled two threes in the first 2:04 of the third quarter, and his strong shooting coming out of halftime gave Dallas the juice it needed to start the season 1-0.
Miami should lean into Thompson's shooting
This is something that Miami will learn about him right away. He's poised to have a significant role due to their need for more shooting, and if Erik Spoelstra utilizes him correctly, Thompson is going to thrive.
He just needs a few plays drawn up for him per game and willing passers around him. Thompson is dangerous when coming off off-ball screens, and it forces help defenders to hone in on containing him. These screens help get Thompson open, but they also take serious attention from the defense, allowing for other Heat players to get open as well.
This is what made his short-lived partnership with Luka Doncic so productive in Dallas, as Doncic's vision helped open up countless good looks for Thompson. Antetokounmpo's on-ball gravity should do the same thing.
The Mavericks learned that Thompson's shooting can be a game-changer in his first game, and plenty of other times after that during his two years with the team. This is something that Miami will learn if they trust him.
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