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Much has been said about Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant's impressive playoff run so far. But Klay Thompson, too, despite his silent demeanor, deserves to be talked about. The 27-year-old has been shooting the lights out from distance for the Golden State Warriors, carving out career-highs along the way.
As observed by Basketball-Reference, Thompson is averaging career playoff highs in his 3-point and effective field goal percentages.
Klay Thompson is averaging over 20 points per playoff game for the 2nd time in his career. Both his 3P% and eFG% are career playoff highs https://t.co/OW6tvCSBP3
— Basketball Reference (@bball_ref) June 4, 2018
Thompson is averaging 20.6 points per game in the playoffs. The last time he logged in at least 20 points per game in the postseason was in 2015-16, where he chipped in 24.3 points per game.
From the 3-point distance, he is shooting his best: 42.9 percent. His effective field goal percentage — a statistic that adjusts for the fact that a 3-point field goal is worth more than a 2-point field goal — is currently at 56.9 percent, also a career-high.
Thompson's relative improvement may be a function of Kevin Durant's addition to the roster. As observed, Durant has had a more active role in the offense of the Warriors. As a premiere offensive talent who can create his own shots, Durant has freed up Thompson.
In their playoff run, Thompson can be seen moving actively without the ball — luring his foes into multiple screens, running towards the 3-point line during fast break opportunities, or cutting through the defense from time-to-time.
His impressive shooting has not only given Durant or even Curry room to operate, as they are the two players in the squad who can create their own shots but has also given the Warriors a 3-point weapon that never withers.
