Ohm Youngmisuk, ESPN staff writer
SAN FRANCISCO — This time around, Dallas Mavericks guard Klay Thompson made the most of his second chance to return to the Bay Area, driving through his old East Bay neighborhood, eating dinner at friends’ houses and driving through old towns like downtown Oakland and Oakland. Place Arena, formerly known as Oracle.
“It’s so surreal,” Thompson said of returning to his former team, the Golden State Warriors. “Because I was only 21 when I came here, it’s always special to see the city and the town. Lots of great memories.”
A much calmer Thompson came into play for the Mavericks in their second meeting with the Golden State Warriors, a 143-133 victory. According to ESPN Research, Thompson made 7 of 11 three-pointers and scored 29 points. The Warriors and Mavericks combined to hit 48 three-pointers, setting a record for the most three-pointers in a single game in NBA history.
“We gave up 46 [points] “We were swimming against the tide in the first quarter,” Warriors head coach Steve Kerr said. “I’m not sure I’ve ever seen a score like this. We made 27 of 54 shots, three-pointers, 39 assists, 10 turnovers and it felt like we never really got into the game.
“There were a couple of times when we got it down to five and the guys kept fighting, but they controlled the whole game and we made 27 3-pointers and no turnovers. This is the modern NBA, it’s a different world. , it was a different game 10 years ago, and you looked at the offensive stat sheet, and I would have said we won that game by 20 or 30 points.”
The Warriors had nothing to do with Luka Doncic, who had 45 points, 13 assists, 11 rebounds, 3 steals and 2 blocks.
When the opportunity came, Thompson took it. When the visiting team’s starting lineup was announced, the shooting guard made 9 of 14 shots and looked more comfortable, earning a standing ovation from the home fans.
Thompson last came to the Mavericks on Nov. 12, returning to his old team for the first time after spending his entire career with the Warriors, who drafted him with the 11th overall pick in 2011. It was a huge celebration of the sharpshooter. Helped the Golden State Warriors win four championships.
Warriors employees lined the ramp wall where visiting teams arrive at Chase Center to honor Thompson with the tips of their captain’s hats, which were handed out to fans that night because of Thompson’s love of sailing on boats.
That set the tone for an exciting night for Thompson, who scored 22 points on 7-for-17 shooting, including six 3-pointers, in a 120-117 loss to the Warriors.
This time, there were some captain’s hats in the stands, but not throughout the building like last time.
“It’s a lot easier,” Thompson said of Game 2 against his former team. “Especially not seeing all the captain’s hats. I saw some of them. It was a lot easier. Feeling more settled than when I first came here.”
Dallas has won 12 of its last 14 games. The Warriors, meanwhile, have struggled after a 12-3 start, losing eight of their last 10 games. Help is on the way as the Golden State Warriors trade to acquire point guard Dennis Schroder. The deal became official on Sunday, and Schroeder is expected to have a physical and practice with the team on Tuesday.
With Thompson gone, the Warriors have been looking for another scorer to pair with Stephen Curry.
Thompson is adjusting to his new team and new life, which means having to guard Curry every time the two face each other. They didn’t meet again until two games in February.
“It’s different, but I’m getting more and more used to it every time we face each other,” Thompson said of guarding Curry. “We guarded each other a lot in practice and scrimmages. You always cherish the moments when you face the best players. I can say I guarded Steph the same way I guarded Kobe, which is cool. [Bryant] and KD [Kevin Durant]. This is another story I want to tell. “
