‘Broken shooting machine’ Thompson’s struggles deepen

Thompson’s slump is deep.

The Golden State Warriors fell to the Cleveland Cavaliers 110-119 in their 2023-2024 NBA regular season game at the Chase Center in San Francisco, California, United States, on Wednesday. The Warriors have already lost twice to the Cavaliers this season.

Golden State’s ace Steph Curry was on point on the night with 30 points and three rebounds, but other players were the problem. Klay Thompson had just 14 points and five rebounds, Andrew Wiggins had 13 points and five rebounds, and Chris Paul had nine points and nine rebounds. Draymond Green, the lone bright spot, was ejected midway through the third quarter for arguing with Donovan Mitchell.

Golden State is currently 6-4 in the 2023-2024 season. This is much better than last season, when they struggled to start the season. A lot of that is due to the bench strength, with Paul leading the bench lineup.

Still, there are concerns. Thompson, a shooting machine and one of the “Splash Brothers” with Curry, has struggled. Thompson is averaging 16 points and 3.8 rebounds on 44% shooting from the field and 35.4% from three-point range in the 2023-2024 season. That’s quite a disappointment considering he averaged 21.9 points on 41% shooting from three last season.

His defense, which hasn’t been the same since his return from injury, has slipped further this season. It’s hard to see a glimpse of Thompson in his prime on defense anymore. Thompson is no longer a player who can exclusively mark the other team’s ace, but rather a player who needs to be taken care of in defensive situations.

Thompson’s strength and value is his shooting. Thompson is still one of the best shooters in the NBA and is a key part of Golden State’s system. He’s been playing alongside Green and Curry for so long that he’s now a sight for sore eyes. Thompson’s shot is one of the most potent weapons in Golden State’s offense. The problem is, the shots aren’t falling. As mentioned earlier, Thompson’s decline on defense has made him a player who must be efficient on offense. But this season, Thompson’s shot hasn’t been efficient at all.

Adding to Golden State’s woes is the fact that Thompson will be a free agent after the 2023-2024 season. Since being selected by Golden State with the 11th overall pick in the 2011 NBA Draft, Thompson has been a one-club man in a Golden State uniform. Along with Curry, Thompson is a symbol of Golden State’s glory days, and unsurprisingly, the Warriors reportedly tried to re-sign him to a 바카라 new deal, but it fell through due to differences in opinion. If Thompson continues to struggle, the Warriors will have their work cut out for them.

Thompson is one of the few remaining romances in an NBA where superstars are often on the move. Thompson needs to rebound to keep the romance alive.