There were several tributes at the Chase Centre on Tuesday night as Warriors supporters commemorated Klay Thompson’s homecoming to the Bay Area.
Tuesday night marked Klay Thompson’s first visit back to the Bay Area since departing the Golden State Warriors.
Despite having his finest game of the season, he was unable to lead the Dallas Mavericks to victory in the NBA Cup opener. Stephen Curry’s incredible finish helped the Golden State Warriors rally late and win 120-117.
Curry erupted with Chase Centre supporters at the end of the fourth quarter after going on a single 10-0 run to put the Mavericks away.
Thompson went 6-of-12 from outside the arc and finished with 22 points, matching his season-high. He also contributed three assists and four rebounds.
On Tuesday afternoon, Thompson and the Mavericks made their first appearance at the Chase Centre in San Francisco. Fans greeted him warmly both inside the arena and outside as he entered.
In remembrance of Thompson, who used to ride in a boat to games when playing for the Warriors, spectators were given a white captain’s hat with the Warriors emblem on it on “Salute Captain Klay” night.
The squad also gave Thompson a standing ovation on the floor and showed a tribute film before the game.
This past offseason, Thompson agreed to a three-year, $50 million contract with the Mavericks. His amazing eight-season stint with the Warriors, which included four titles, came to an official end with that.
After graduating from Washington State with the No. 11 overall pick in 2011, Thompson swiftly rose to prominence as a Bay Area fan favourite and an essential member of the Warriors’ dynasty with Stephen Curry and Draymond Green as other players came and went.
Thompson said he still treasures the run he had at Golden State to begin his NBA career, but for the time being he is just focused on moving on.
“That chapter is over,” Thompson told Andscape’s Marc J. Spears on Sunday. “I’m in the midst of trying to win here. There is no point in missing anything when we have such a great opportunity here to be great. There’s no point in looking back … I got to look forward. I got to try to give my best self here.”
Last season with Golden State, Thompson averaged 17.9 points per game, his lowest level of performance in over ten years.
Additionally, it was only the second time in his career that he shot below 40% from beyond the arc. Thompson left the Warriors in fourth place in games played, second only to Stephen Curry in 3-pointers made, and sixth in team history in total points scored.
In 2018, while playing for the Warriors, he established the NBA record of 14 3-pointers in a single game.
So far this season, the 34-year-old has averaged 13.8 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 2.9 3-pointers per game in Dallas going into Tuesday’s matchup.
Even while players don’t typically receive a warm welcome when they return to their former arenas for the first time, Thompson is obviously still well-liked by the Warriors’ supporters.
In the defeat, Luka Dončić led the Mavericks with 31 points, eight rebounds, and six assists, dropping them to 5-6 on the season.
Daniel Gafford finished with 15 points and six rebounds, while Kyrie Irving contributed 21 points. Before Curry came back to win the game, Dallas led 23-9 in the fourth quarter.
Stephen Curry scored 37 points and dished out nine assists to lead the Warriors. His 3-point shooting percentage was 5 out of 12.
Buddy Hield finished with 14 points off the bench, and De’Anthony Melton contributed another 14. Following the victory, which was their second consecutive, the Warriors are currently 9-3 on the season. On Friday, they will host the Memphis Grizzlies.
