Tuesday marked the first time Klay Thompson returned back to the Bay Area to play against the Golden State Warriors, his old team, since leaving for the Dallas Mavericks during the offseason. To celebrate the occasion, the Warriors passed out captain hats to fans before the game.
Thompson, who would boat to home games, notably donned a similar hat while celebrating the team's championship in 2022, and following the Mavericks' 120-117 loss, the longtime Warriors guard spoke about the fans and Golden State employees showing their love for him.
“It was a really cool experience. I appreciate the fans very much,” Thompson said. “The captain’s hat ended up being a great touch because I’m such a passionate boater. Saw a lot of familiar faces in the crowd. That was a warm-hearted feeling. It was really cool seeing the fans' respect, gratitude toward myself, and something I'll never take for granted. It was very awesome.”
Klay Thompson, Stephen Curry combine for 11 threes in Warriors win over Mavericks
On Tuesday night, both Thompson and ‘Splash Brother' Stephen Curry did what they have done so often in their careers: make a bunch of three-pointers.
Thompson sank a game-high six triples in a 22-point outing, but Curry's performance proved to be the best of the night. The two-time former MVP hit five threes and scored the final 12 points for Golden State, allowing the Warriors to escape with a narrow NBA Cup win. On the night, Curry finished with 37 points, 6 rebounds, and 9 assists.
The Mavericks' two stars, Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving, did not have their best games of the year on Tuesday; Doncic went 2-for-10 on three-pointers, while Irving, who made six threes and scored 43 against the Denver Nuggets on Sunday, scored 21, made just one triple, and turned the ball over a season-high five times.
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Curry received offensive support from the likes of Draymond Green (11 points, 6 assists), De'Anthony Melton (14 points, 4 assists), Jonathan Kuminga (16 points), and Buddy Hield (14 points).
The victory not only gives the Warriors their ninth of the season, but it also serves as the team's first in the 2024 NBA Cup (formerly the In-Season Tournament). The Warriors are in Group C of the Western Conference with the Mavericks, Nuggets, New Orleans Pelicans, and Memphis Grizzlies.
Golden State now is 1-0 with a point differential of +3. The team will play each of the other three teams once as part of the round-robin group play. The top team from each of the six groups, as well as two wild card teams, will advance to a single-elimination bracket.
The Warriors' next NBA Cup game is on Friday vs. the Grizzlies.
