SAN FRANCISCO — On Wednesday night you’d have thought that Chase Center was hosting a Boat Show. We are in the Bay, after all. Every one of the 18,000 fans in the arena was wearing captain’s hat on Tuesday night for the return of arguably the most beloved warrior of all time except for Curry, the four times champion, five times All Star, Klay Thompson.
Currently, Thompson plays for the visiting Dallas Mavericks, he spent the first 11 seasons of his NBA career with Golden State and was rewarded with similar enthusiasm from the San Francisco fans.
The jumbotron had a short video before introducing him in the starting lineup, which summed up his impossible feats, such as the 37-point quarter and the 14 3-pointer Game.
When his name was announced, everyone had their captain hat off — hat Thompson used to love to take the boat across the bay to practices and games — and cheered their former Warrior hero. Thompson looked in every direction of Chase Center as he enjoyed the moment.
Still, it is not only the ability to handle Klay, but it is not only the dedication to the organization, the competitive spirit, the head coach of Warriors, Steve Kerr said before the game.
But as far as the fans and the relationship of our fans to the star, there is nothing like the feeling when you see that sure smell around him.
That’s what it takes. That’s pretty rare to do all of that and have that kind of impact. But Klay had it.”
The word “aura” summed up Chase Center feelings for Thompson return to action. It was louder, it was more electric, and the fans were more fanatic.
Although he was in a different colored jersey, Thompson being on the floor and everything that comes with his Warriors tenure filled the sold out arena. Each time cameramen pointed their lenses at him, people clapped and cheered.
But in the end the night was won by Curry and the Warriors and the first day of NBA Cup.
The stage was set for a close ending when Curry scored 12 consecutive points that turned a 114-108 Golden State disadvantage into a 118-114 lead before they fought from behind to win a pulsating 120-117 contest.
Curry scored 37 and nine points and six rebounds, and Thompson responded with 22 points, tied for his best of the year, on 6-of-12 shooting from three-point range. But it was not sufficient as the Mavericks came down to 5-6 while the Warriors have advanced to 9-2.
Thompson signed a three-year $50 million sign-and-trade deal with the Dallas Mavericks this off-season.
He appeared set to retire with the Warriors, but as soon as his free agency started it was apparent that he and the Golden State would not agree on a deal. He averaged 14 points and 4 rebounds in 10 games with Dallas where he shot 35 percent from the three-point line.
“He’s a true pro. Basically, comes to work, knows what it’s like to win,” Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd said before the game.
There are things we can say about his shooting, his spacing and his gravity and we can put him through plays and movements.
This is the message he’s going to leave to others: there will be space for them. And when you speak of the broad perspective, that is difficult to come by and we lacked that, and we needed it badly. I believe we were fortunate to get him.”
