Klay Thompson couldn't contain his emotion after swatting a LaMarcus Aldridge dunk in the middle of the fourth quarter of the Golden State Warriors 112-92 comeback win over the San Antonio Spurs. Usually a perimeter lockdown defender, Thompson has been showing his chops in the paint, denying the 6-foot-11 stretch four of an easy bucket, despite giving up four inches in the matchup.
Klay blocked an Aldridge dunk and it sent bench into a quick, shocked mosh pit celebration. Start shown in corner pic.twitter.com/UiSPaD84QP
— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) November 3, 2017
Thompson wasn't hugely demonstrative, but he was hyped and his teammates could tell, starting a wave of celebration, not on the block itself, but of his unforeseeable reaction.
“We were not reacting to the block, we were reacting to Klay's reaction to his own block,” said point guard Stephen Curry after the game. “He showed as much emotion as I think I've ever seen — he was quick 'cause he knew we had the ball. So he got the block, got the rebound, looked at us on the bench and started like yelling and his face was crazy. It was fun to watch, that's why our reaction was that wild.”
“Don't mean to throw him under the bus, but he was so hyped and excited that he turned it over on the other end.”
Steph Curry said the bench wasn't celebrating Klay's block of an Aldridge dunk, they were just hyped off Klay's reaction pic.twitter.com/td9znG9Rzc
— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) November 3, 2017
Thompson hasn't had much to show for his ever-improving defense since coming into the league, but he has now, recording at least a block in seven of the first nine games of the season, showing his contributions on the less-glamorous end to couple with his strong shooting start to this campaign.
“It felt great… as soon as I turned it over… I got pulled out… that's karma for you,” said Thompson with his typical serene look of his highlight-reel block on Aldridge. “It did feel really good.”
“I might have looked at the bench, but I don't really celebrate much, just tried to push it down the floor and had my only turnover of the game, unfortunately.”
Klay Thompson, stone-faced, on the Aldridge block: "Felt great…til I turned it over…then got pulled out…that's karma" pic.twitter.com/PXzb9RRGPx
— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) November 3, 2017
Thompson had a game-high 27 points on 11-of-17 shooting and 5-of-8 from beyond the arc, managing to overcome an early 18-point deficit and turn it into a 20-point win by the end of regulation. His hot shooting kept the Warriors afloat while Kevin Durant struggled to an early 0-for-8 start, which he quickly made up, finishing an impeccable 9-of-10 from the field from then on.
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