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Kevin Durant didn't shy away of supporting teammate Klay Thompson despite his constant shooting struggles this postseason.
The 6-foot-7 sharpshooter has been mired in a postseason-long slump that has seen him score 20 points a mere two times and score in single figures three different times through 13 games in this year's playoffs.
Thompson exploded in Game 6 of the Western Conference Finals last season at a time when his team needed it the most, drilling an NBA-playoff record 11 three-pointers en route to a 41-point night and a necessary win in to come back from a 3-1 deficit against Oklahoma City.
Durant kept the bigger picture in mind, having seen Thompson both as an opponent and as a teammate — he assured the long-range threat still has a major impact in the team's offense because of his reputation of being a knock-down shooter.
“If he's not making shots, he's still a respected shooter,” Durant told reporters via SLAM Magazine. “His off-ball movement and defense is a reason why we're a top team.”
The Cleveland Cavaliers have to respect Thompson's outside-shot prowess, regardless of whether he's struggling or not, and making the mistake of not contesting his shots and letting him get on a roll could prove a series-changing mistake.
The Washington State standout will need to eventually knock down more shots or at least get to the line in order to command attention — if not, it could easily result on the Cavs' defense converging on Durant and Stephen Curry, making it a harder task for the team to go through these NBA Finals.
