Klay Thompson on newest benching in Warriors win – ‘It is actually arduous’

NEW YORK — After Golden State Warriors star Klay Thompson was not noted of the closing lineup for the second time in three video games in Monday’s 109-98 win over the Brooklyn Nets, the long run Corridor of Famer admitted it has been “very arduous” coping with watching among the most vital moments of video games from the sidelines.

“Yeah,” Thompson mentioned, when requested if his altering position has been an adjustment. “You kidding me? Go from, you already know, among the finest gamers … it is arduous for anyone.

“I will be trustworthy with you. It is very arduous.”

Thompson, who completed 4-for-9 from the sphere, together with 0-for-3 from behind the 3-point arc, exited the sport in favor of guard Moses Moody with 7:19 remaining after which spent the remainder of the sport glued to the bench. He watched Warriors coach Steve Kerr choose to play Gui Santos — a rookie who had performed a grand whole of 61 minutes throughout eight NBA video games earlier than Monday evening — down the stretch rather than Thompson.

This got here on the heels of Kerr doing the identical factor in Golden State’s win over Memphis on Friday, earlier than closing with Thompson in Saturday’s loss after Andrew Wiggins injured his ankle late within the first half and did not return.

Wiggins remained sidelined Monday due to that ankle damage. However as an alternative of going with Thompson down the stretch, Kerr went with Santos alongside kids Jonathan Kuminga and Brandin Podziemski, in addition to mainstays Stephen Curry — who led Golden State with 29 factors within the win at Barclays Middle — and Draymond Inexperienced.

Kerr mentioned he caught with that group as a result of it was “competing and making performs they usually had the momentum,” after which admitted it has been a tough season for Thompson.

“He is fantastic,” Kerr mentioned. “It is a season the place he is had lots of ups and downs. It isn’t straightforward for a man who’s been so good and a Corridor of Fame participant to take care of the accidents and … it is by no means straightforward for any participant, getting older. [But] he is mentally robust.”

Thompson, who turns 34 on Thursday, tore his ACL in Recreation 6 of the 2019 NBA Finals after which tore his Achilles a yr later, costing him all the 2019-20 and 2020-21 seasons.

He returned to common 20.4 factors in serving to Golden State win the 2022 NBA title after which averaged 21.9 factors and shot 41% from 3-point vary final season because the Warriors ultimately misplaced to the Los Angeles Lakers within the second spherical of the playoffs.

However Thompson’s numbers have dipped this season. He is averaging 17.1 factors — his lowest common since his second NBA season — and taking pictures profession worsts of 41.5% from the sphere and 37.1% from 3-point vary. In the meantime younger gamers resembling Podziemski, Kuminga and Moody have taken steps ahead, making Thompson’s position an ever-present storyline.

“I really feel nice bodily,” Thompson mentioned at his locker after the sport. “Mentally, in all probability just a little totally different story. However such is life, huh?”

Inexperienced then interrupted Thompson’s scrum and introduced that he had as soon as been benched for an NBA Finals recreation, stating, “So who f—ing cares?”

To his credit score, Thompson repeatedly mentioned he was comfortable for his younger teammates, crediting each Kuminga (28 factors) and Podziemski for the way they performed, and went out of his solution to reward Santos, who completed with 9 factors, 5 rebounds and was a team-best plus-13 in 18 minutes.

“I’ve accepted it,” Thompson mentioned. “I may very well be mad, however I am comfortable for these younger guys, truthfully. Yeah. We gained. And it is arduous to get wins on this league.

“[Santos] performed so arduous. I’m comfortable for Gui. I imply, unimaginable. He is in The [G League], to come back up right here and make an influence like that? Unimaginable.”

Santos, a 21-year-old rookie from Brazil who was the fifty fifth choose within the 2022 NBA draft, has now performed extra minutes throughout the previous three video games (44) than he did over the Warriors’ first 54 this season (35), with Kerr saying he was “superb” in Monday’s win.

“All people right here at all times says be prepared for when you will have the chance to be on the court docket and play,” Santos mentioned. “So after I noticed I had a pair minutes on the court docket, I mentioned I needed to carry power to the workforce, particularly defensively.”

Monday was the newest weird evening in a season stuffed with them for the Warriors, who’re 22-25 after win. Video games in Philadelphia on Wednesday and Indiana on Thursday will spherical out this five-game East Coast swing — and push the Warriors by means of the commerce deadline.

Now formally two-thirds of the best way by means of the season, Golden State remains to be in twelfth place within the Western Convention, share factors behind the Houston Rockets in eleventh, a recreation behind the Utah Jazz in tenth and 1½ behind the Los Angeles Lakers in ninth.

However not solely do the Warriors should navigate their manner up the West standings, additionally they should proceed to take care of the truth of Thompson’s fluid place as a part of Golden State’s lineups within the greatest moments of video games.

“I do know he desires to shoot the ball higher,” Curry mentioned. “I do know he desires to be on the market on the ground. He is a champion. He’s a man that is been as a lot part of all of our success as anyone. The problem as we get deeper into our careers is the changes that all of us should make to attempt to proceed to win on the highest degree.

“So the best way this recreation works, there’s ebbs and flows. There’s down durations within the season, there’s occasions the place it is your time to shine. You need to keep locked in, keep prepared. I have never talked to him simply particularly about it, however it’s about simply staying optimistic, staying prepared and nonetheless play half-hour. And you’ve got made lots of well timed performs for us. So simply keep in it, as a result of the whole lot comes again round.”