Despite getting off to a brilliant start to the season, Klay Thompson has more lofty aspirations than a 50-40-90 campaign.
The Golden State Warriors shooting guard has managed to finally reap some statistical favor to reward his status as one of the best two-way players in the league. He's now hoping to show his prowess as a shot-blocker.
“I’m trying to average one block a game,” Thompson said, according to Connor LeTourneau of The San Francisco Chronicle. “For a shooting guard, that’d be really good.”
Through 10 games, the 6-foot-7 Thompson is averaging a whisker under his goal, swatting nine shots in the early get-go.
Perhaps his most notable one of the season was a blocked dunk attempt against San Antonio Spurs forward LaMarcus Aldridge, which sparked a fire under him, to which his teammates reacted effusively.
“Felt great,” Thompson said of the block. “Until I turned it over. Then got pulled out. That’s karma for you.”
Blocked shots are a specialty hard to come by in the spread-out world the NBA has become over the years, making it a rare delicacy to have in a roster — but the Warriors have been top-two in blocks since the Steve Kerr era started, leading the league last season and in this one by a good margin with 8.8 per game.
Out of the 38 players currently at that mark, only Washington Wizards point guard John Wall (1.1) and San Antonio Spurs shooting guard Danny Green (1.1) are slotted in a backcourt denomination.
Oklahoma City Thunder shooting guard Andre Roberson was the only player among the 35 to average a block per game last season.
“I don’t know how many (guards) are doing that, so that’d be really nice,” said Thompson, who has never averaged more than 0.8 blocks per game for an entire season. “If I get a block a game and I play stalwart defense, I’d be satisfied.”
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