Klay Thompson stats tonight: How did Mavericks star fare vs Nuggets in Kyrie Irving’s return? (Jan. 14)

Klay Thompson and the Dallas Mavericks received positive news on Tuesday as Kyrie Irving returned to the lineup after dealing with a back strain. The Mavericks had gone 2-3 in their last five games without Irving and were hoping for his spark, but the Nuggets secured a dominant 118-99 win.

The Nuggets, led by Jamal Murray, came out strong in the first quarter. Murray scored 19 of the Nuggets’ 36 points, while limiting the Mavericks to just 21. Thompson had a rough start, missing three shots, including two from beyond the arc.

Thompson finally made his first field goal three minutes into the second quarter, hitting a pull-up 3-pointer.

He followed that up with another triple to close the first half, but the Nuggets continued to dominate, outscoring Dallas 35-24 in the second quarter.

Jamal Murray finished the first half with 32 points and three assists, while Nikola Jokic contributed five points, eight assists and nine rebounds.

Irving led the Mavericks with nine points, shooting 3-for-11. As a team, the Mavericks shot 34.8% in the first half.

The second half offered minimal opportunities for the Mavericks to turn things around. Although they outscored Denver by seven points, it wasn’t enough to climb out of the deficit.

Jamal Murray lit up the Mavericks with 45 points on an efficient 18-for-26 shooting, while Nikola Jokic recorded a triple-double with 10 points, 14 rebounds and 10 assists.

Daniel Gafford led the Mavericks in scoring with 13 points. Irving contributed 11 in his return, and Klay Thompson was held to just eight points on eight shot attempts.

Here are Klay Thompson's stats for the game.

PLAYER	MIN	PTS	REB	AST	FGM	FGA	FG%	3PM	3PA	3P%	FTM	FTA	FT%	OREB	DREB	STL	BLK	TO	PF	=+/-
Klay Thompson	20:44	8	3	0	3	8	37.5	2	6	33.3	0	0	0.0	0	3	0	1	2	1	-13

Jason Kidd explains why Klay Thompson needs Mavericks roster at full strength

Klay Thompson was the Dallas Mavericks’ biggest offseason acquisition, expected to be the team’s primary off-ball shooter alongside the on-ball playmaking talents of Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving.

However, with injuries sidelining the Mavericks’ two key stars, Thompson has been forced to step into a bigger scoring role.

After the Mavericks' loss to the Nuggets on Sunday, coach Jason Kidd praised Thompson for his efforts, particularly in that game where he scored 25 points, his second-highest total of the season, though the Mavericks lost 112-101.

"He was great, he's a pro," Kidd said. “He put us in a position to win that game.”

“Without Luka and Kai, the quarterbacks, it’s just tough.”

Thompson is currently averaging 14.2 points per game while shooting 38.5% from beyond the arc — both his lowest marks since his rookie season.