“He’s missing shots he normally makes, he’s been doing it the past two games” - NBA analyst on 3-time NBA champion, says this is not the same player  he loves

After his masterful performance in Game 5 against the Dallas Mavericks, Klay Thompson has been a disappointment in the finals for the Golden State Warriors. “Killa Klay” has almost been a non-factor in the first two games of the championship series versus the Boston Celtics.

Thompson’s numbers against the Celtics look unrecognizable. He’s averaging 13.0 points on a hideous 30.3% shooting, including 26.7% from beyond the arc. Boston’s defense is keeping the deadly shooter off-balance, which has resulted in two straight terrible games.

Stephen A. Smith, who’s covering the NBA Finals with the ESPN crew, took a dig at the three-time champion after another frustrating night:

“I called the cops! I got an APB out for Klay Thompson. I need to find him. This is not the Klay Thompson that I know and love. … four of 19 shooting. He cannot find his shot. He’s missing shots he normally makes, he’s been doing it the past two games. He’s gonna have to find his shot in Boston.”

Klay Thompson played 39 minutes in Game 1 and finished with 15 points, two rebounds and three assists.

He shot six for 14 from the field and missed four of his seven three-point shots. The five-time All-Star also had a game-worst -27 in the fourth quarter when Boston annihilated Golden State.

In last night’s game, Thompson played even worse. He had 11 points, making only four of 19 shots for a ghastly 21.1% shooting from the field. Thompson also missed all but one of his eight attempts from long-range.

The Golden State Warriors should be relieved the series is tied at one apiece despite Thompson’s disappearance on the NBA’s biggest stage.

The second member of the "Splash Bros" has had an up-and-down return after missing the past two seasons with gruesome injuries. That trend continued in the playoffs where he’s struggled more often than not.

Thompson can’t play like this if the Warriors want to win their fourth NBA title in the last eight years.

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Klay Thompson could swing the series clearly in favor of the Golden State Warriors

Klay Thompson hasn't had much success so far against the Celtics' leech-like defense. [Photo: USA Today]

Thompson was having a so-so series in the Western Conference finals against the Dallas Mavericks. It wasn’t until Game 5 that “Game 6 Klay” played like the Klay of old. Once he got going, the Mavericks had no chance against the Warriors’ multi-pronged attack.

As good as the Dallas Mavericks were, the Boston Celtics' defense is another beast. Unless Payton Pritchard comes in, Boston doesn’t have a single defender that the Warriors can consistently target. The Celtics have length, range and smarts on the floor with their defense.

The Celtics are forcing Klay Thompson to put the ball on the floor more instead of doing his automatic catch-and-shoot routine. Boston defenders crowd into him with aggressiveness, daring him to get into the teeth of the defense. So far, the ploy has worked.

The finals are shaping up to be a long series, with every advantage maximized and every weakness desperately kept out of sight. “Killa Klay” has got to find a rhythm and get himself going for the Warriors to win the championship.