Klay Thompson might be the greatest shooter ever seen in NBA history, but since Stephen Curry exists, Thompson could have a strong case to be situated in second place in that ranking.
Taking that statement for what it is, a notion that might be general among fans, then how could Klay Thompson not be included in the NBA's 75 Greatest Players list?
Thompson is a three-time NBA champion with the Golden State Warriors, and he's been more than essential to the team's success with his incredible shooting and his brilliant one-on-one defense on the perimeter.
If you ask me, Klay Thompson is indeed one of the Top 75 players in NBA history, but he did not make the cut in the official list, and that's a fact.
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Thompson's resume also includes five All-Star selections, two All-NBA honors and one All-Defensive selections. It isn't that big of a resume, but it is certainly more than some of the other names we saw on the official Top 75 list of the NBA.
Thompson is one of those players whose stat sheet will not always show what he did in a game, unless it is one of those nights where he can't miss a single shot.
Top 5 stats from Klay Thompson that make him one of the NBA's 75 greatest players
In this article, we will take a look at those nights were Klay Thompson even looked like the best player on his team and the most dominant scorer on the court.
We will give you five Klay Thompson records that make him one of the Top 75 players in NBA history.
Without further ado, let us take a look.
#5 Most three-pointers made in a single NBA postseason
Klay Thompson shares with Stephen Curry the record for most threes made in a single edition of the NBA Playoffs, with 98. Thompson achieved his 98 threes in a single playoffs during the 2015-16 postseason.
On his side, Curry did it during the 2014-15 NBA Playoffs, with 98 three-pointers in 232 attempts for a 42.2%. Thompson, during the 2016 postseason, made 98 threes and attempted the exact same number as Curry's run in the previous year.
#4 Scoring 60 points in only 29 minutes
During the 2016-17 NBA regular season, Klay Thompson put up one of the greatest shooting spectacles ever seen in NBA history, scoring a career-high 60 points against the Indiana Pacers on December 5th, 2016, while playing only 29 minutes in a 36-point blowout.
Thompson made 21 of his 33 attempts from the field in that game and did not play a single second in the fourth quarter. He scored 40 points in the first half and added 20 in the third quarter.
Scoring 60 points in only 29 minutes in an NBA record, as Thompson is the only player in league history to score at least 60 points while playing under 30 minutes.
Also Read: Who are Klay Thompson’s Brothers?
#3 Most threes made in an elimination game in the NBA Playoffs
During the 2015-16 NBA season, Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green led the Golden State Warriors to the best regular season in NBA history, with a 73-9 win-loss record and were set to defend their championship from the 2014-15 NBA season.
However, the team had a rocky run to the 2016 NBA Finals, falling in a 3-1 hole against Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and the OKC Thunder in the 2016 Western Conference Finals.
After winning Game 5 at home, Klay Thompson saved the Warriors' season with 11 three-pointers in Game 6 on the road and had 41 points during the game, after making 11/18 from the three-point line and 14 of his 31 field goals.
The Warriors took a 108-101 win and went on to win Game 7 to reach the 2016 NBA Finals, which ended in sporting tragedy for the 73-9 team, after losing a 3-1 lead to LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers.
At the time, 11 threes was the record for a single postseason game in terms of three-pointers made. Now, after Damian Lillard surpassed that mark in the 2021 NBA Playoffs, Thompson's 11 threes against OKC remain as the most threes made in an elimination game.
#2 Most threes made in a single regular-season NBA game
On October 29th, 2018, Klay Thompson made 14 three-point shots against the Chicago Bulls on the road, imposing a new all-time record for three-pointers made in a single regular-season game in NBA history.
He made 14 of his 24 attempts from the three-point line and ended the game with 52 points, leading the Golden State Warriors to a 149-124 win at the United Center.
Thompson played only 26 minutes that night, and his record for most threes in a single regular-season game still stands tall above everyone else.
#1 Most points scored in a single quarter in NBA history
This was probably Klay Thompson's most impressive shooting performance of his entire NBA career, as he simply seemed to enter a different zone in which he could not miss a shot.
During the third quarter of the game against the Sacramento Kings on January 23rd, 2015, Klay Thompson scored an NBA record 37 points, while making each of his 13 field-goal attempts.
In that third quarter, Thompson played the entire 12 minutes and made nine attempts from the three-point line. He outscored the Kings 37-22 in that quarter by himself, and finished the game with 52 points in 32 minutes of action.
Klay Thompson established several records in that game, including the most three-pointers made in a single quarter and tied the record for most field goals in a single quarter.
Also read: “Fuel to the fire” - Stephen Curry on what Klay Thompson said after getting snubbed from NBA 75 team
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