Before this season, Klay Thompson had never received a technical foul in his ten-season career but after yesterday’s emphatic 1233-109 over Memphis, he now has two.
Earlier in the season, he beefed with Devin Booker and really pulled rank. We saw something very rare that day – an angry Klay.
Game footage shows the two trash talking and as he was getting ejected, Thompson held up four fingers to remind everyone of his four championships.
Then yesterday, we were already in for a treat well before the game had started as Ja Morant declared he was “fine in the West.”
The Warriors had taken control of the game and with less than four minutes left to play, Thompson hit a jumper over an outstretched Dillion Brooks, who after the shot, fell and slid along the floor.
As Thompson was coming out of the shot, he stood over Brooks and let him have it which of course, led to a tech foul – Golden State’s sixth of the game.
Klay Thompson over Dillon Brooks. 😂
— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) December 26, 2022
“Just some good ol’ fashion trash talk,” Thompson said after the game. “I didn’t think it warranted a technical but I forgot about the taunting rule. It’s always fun to talk trash. We’ve been doing that since middle school.”
It’s no secret that Thompson doesn’t like the Grizzlies, both teams have had their moments together and it seems a rivalry has been building since last season’s playoffs.
“Man, they was talking about dynasty and all that,” Thompson said. “You can’t talk dynasty when you haven’t won before. I don’t think people realize how hard that is, the commitment and sacrifice it takes…I thought that was premature talk, to even mention that word, but they bring the best out of us and I think we do the same. Even though you don’t like them, you gotta respect them because they’re a threat.”
Performance wise, Thompson was ecstatic and grateful to be part of such a great win, especially being without star shooters in Steph Curry and Andrew Wiggins, as well as Jordan Poole for part of the game.
“It was such an incredible day for me,” Thompson said. “I thought I played very well, near double double, no turnovers.”
The 32-year-old shot 32 percent from the field and 25 percent from three but says something is building and he is on the improve, which wouldn’t be easy to do after sitting out for 941 days in the seasons that came before this.
“I’m taking shots in rhythm,” Thompson said. “The efficient nights are coming. The big nights are coming. I’ve just got to stay the course like I did last year and be at my best when it matters most.
“Just a huge milestone for me. I haven’t done this in four years. I’m just so grateful to play in front of my mother, my brother, my friends. It was a great night and I couldn’t have had better christmas.”