SAN FRANCISCO – Everything has changed, yet nothing has.
When the NBA Finals tip off next week, the Warriors will be there. Klay Thompson is back. So are Steph Curry and Draymond Green. The Dubs want to add another trophy to the Dynasty’s legacy and they’ll have a chance. Four more wins for a fourth title.
Like he did in the second round, Klay played a key role in a series-clinching win Thursday night. This time around, he scored 32 points and helped carry the Warriors to a 120-110 win over the Dallas Mavericks in Game 5 of the Western Conference Finals.
"Just such a surreal feeling," Thompson said. "It's hard to put into words really."
Klay and the Dubs didn’t mess around on Thursday night. This series had been marked by Thompson and the team’s ability to heat up after halftime. Second-half surges helped the Warriors win in Game 2 and Game 3, but they took a 17-point lead into the locker room at halftime.
Thompson started off hot and didn’t cool down, as he had 16 points before the break and 16 afterwards. Perhaps the game’s most poetic basket came in the third quarter, when Draymond dished a behind-the-back pass to him for a wide open 3 that caused the Mavs to call a timeout.
"That's routine for us," Thompson said. "I was thinking, 'I better make this so it could be on the highlights.' It was all net."
Klay also channeled his inner Steph with a shimmy shake in the second quarter.
Game 6 Klay put an exclamation mark on the last series, but Game 5 Klay ruled the night the Western Conference Finals ended. Thompson became the first player in NBA playoff history to knock down at least eight 3-pointers in two series-clinching wins.
"I'm satisfied with Game 6 Klay," Thompson said. "I don't need another nickname. It's nice to not have to bring him out."
Perhaps his productive night was the result of a relaxing pregame routine. Asked how he spent his day before Thursday night's masterclass, Klay provided a very Klay answer.
"I had a great breakfast," Thompson said. "You know, I don't wanna give away all my secrets. Before I even start my day, I get up, jump in my 65-degree pool to wake myself up. I'm so luck to even have a pool. I just play with Rocco. I play maybe some Nintendo."
Classic Klay.
Dallas made some blood pressures rise in the Bay Area with a 15-0 run in the third quarter that cut the deficit to single digits, but their postseason magic finally ran out. Luka Doncic dropped 28 points, but even he couldn’t stop the inevitable.
The Warriors are built for this.
The Splash Brothers – like they’ve done for the past decade – left their mark on the game Thursday night. Klay started the party early with a 3-pointer at the 3-minute mark, as he finished his evening 8-of-16 from beyond the arc. The crowd was still on its feet when Steph splashed home a 3 about a minute later.
"DNA you can't really teach," Curry said.
In the closing seconds, Klay and Draymond couldn't help but start dancing in front of the Warriors bench.
Warriors celebrate after winning the West 🔥 pic.twitter.com/M1dgbLBZdx
— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) May 27, 2022
Sure, the 2021-22 season started in October and has been 98 games long for the Warriors. But it feels like this journey back to the Finals really started on June 13, 2019. That evening marked the end of an era at Oracle Arena, as the Toronto Raptors won Game 6 of the NBA Finals in the franchise’s final game in Oakland. It also marked Day 0 of Thompson’s two-and-a-half year odyssey back from injuries.
Klay used to occupy his time with his boat and music to keep his mind free during rehab.
Klay tore his ACL that night in dramatic fashion, staying in the game briefly to shoot two free throws before hobbling back into the tunnel. We never knew if he’d be the same player again. The doubts grew once Thompson tore his Achilles in November 2020, when he was just days away from returning to NBA action.
Klay Day on Jan. 9 earlier this year remains one of the most memorable days in franchise history. Thompson holds a special place for Dub Nation. There’s a unique affinity between both parties.
Thompson’s two-year absence coincided with the franchises’ back-to-back playoff-free seasons. While he got healthy, the franchise recharged after 10 combined months of playoff hoops from 2015-19.
"I’m happy for all of them," Warriors coach Steve Kerr said of his players, "but it’s hard not to be most excited for Klay."
Now things are all coming together for Klay and the Dubs. They’ll have a week to rest up while awaiting the winner of the Boston Celtics-Miami Heat matchup in the Eastern Conference Finals. Gary Payton II (fractured left elbow), Otto Porter Jr. (right foot soreness) and Andre Iguodala (neck) could be back and the team could be back at full strength.
Everything is falling into place and the Dynasty Dubs are right back where they belong – in the NBA Finals.
"I dreamt about this everyday," Thompson said.
