Klay Thompson had his best game since 2019 to help the Golden State Warriors defeat the Milwaukee Bucks 122-109. Thompson led a Warriors fireworks display with eight threes sunk.
Golden State Warriors (46-22) – Milwaukee Bucks (42-26) 122:109 (BOXSCORE)
In addition, he hit 15 of his 24 throws from the field and almost cracked the 40-point mark without a single free throw! In the end it was 38 points for Thompson, his best tally this season and his best tally since 2019. He also had 6 rebounds, 5 assists, and 1 steal and 1 block with 2 turnovers. “I’m sure he’s relieved,” head coach Steve Kerr said of Thompson after the game. “He’s very hard on himself and wants to be successful at all costs.”
His Splash Brother Stephen Curry, on the other hand, had his worst scoring night of the season with only 8 points, but this was not due to many misses. Curry only took 7 shots (2/4 3P) and focused on putting his teammates in the limelight (8 assists). That worked because, in addition to Thompson, Jordan Poole (30, 5/10 3P, 5 assists) and Andrew Wiggins (21, 3/8 3P) were in a good mood.
Thompson and Poole are loud ESPN Stats & Info the second duo under Kerr to each have at least 30 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists in the same game. So far, only Kevin Durant and Curry have managed this in December 2018. Kerr had Curry, Thompson and Poole all start at the same time for the first time in this game, also due to several failures in the front court. Wiggins and Kevon Looney completed the starting five.
Jonathan Kuminga enjoyed 14 points and a career-high 11 rebounds, 5 of which came on the opposing board. The Warriors scored 20 points on second chances (only 6 for Milwaukee) and hit 40 percent from Downtown (18/45). Thanks to Thompson’s 17 points in the period, Golden State grabbed the lead in the second quarter and didn’t relinquish it thereafter, with the Warriors leading by 20 points for the first time shortly after the break.
The win keeps the Warriors level with the Memphis Grizzlies, who are second in the Western Conference and would now bypass the strong West Top-6 in the first round of the playoffs.
Brook Lopez is set to return
On the other side, Giannis Antetokounmpo was the main resistance with 31 points and 8 rebounds at 9/17 FG and 12/18 from the free throw line. Khris Middleton (18, 6/19) and Bobby Portis (4, 2/10 FG) had little success with their shot, Serge Ibaka scored 9 of his 15 points in the first quarter. Milwaukee only committed 4 turnovers in the whole game but couldn’t stop their winning streak after 6 games.
In addition, DeAndre’ Bembry apparently sustained an injury in the third quarter when he landed on an opponent’s foot. Supported, he hobbled into the catacombs.
However, there also seems to be some good news for the Bucks that could easily comfort them over the loss: Milwaukee could get Brook Lopez and George Hill back next weekwie Marc J. Spears (ESPN) reported. Lopez has been absent from the Bucks since the first game of the current season, Hill last played on January 28.
Milwaukee remains in second place in the Eastern Conference after the loss, but only has a minimal gap to their three closest pursuers Philadelphia, Chicago and Boston.
Klay Thompson runs hot in the second quarter
Both teams struggled with their shots in the first ten minutes of the game, with Golden State securing the first advantage with easy points from the free-throw line (8/8). Milwaukee countered with three triples in a row and equalized at the end of the first quarter (28:28).
Thompson was responsible for the Warriors’ last two goals in the first period, which would portend the second quarter. There, Thompson hit four straight triples, giving Golden State an 18-3 run during Curry’s break. Milwaukee defended very laxly in this phase and was punished from all directions. Golden State went into the break 67-58.
In the second half, Poole turned up the heat and quickly gave the Warriors an 11-0 start and a 20-point lead with three three-pointers. Wiggins then followed up with two threes and kept the Warriors offense going until Poole and Thompson took over at the end of the period.
Thompson followed up with the Warriors’ first 7 points in the latter period, while Milwaukee couldn’t bring the deficit into single digits. After Thompson went up to +20 again with his 37 and 38 points, Steve Kerr took his starters out of the game with three minutes to go, leaving the Bucks with nothing to gain.
“I’ve been waiting for a night like this,” said Thompson, who recently had throwing problems a few times. “But a shooting slump during the season doesn’t break my ego, I’ll still go out there and give it my all.”
