NBA Finals 2017: Power ranking Finals MVP possibilities
By Luke Norris
Klay Thompson
2017 NBA Playoffs: 14.4 points, 3.5 rebounds, 2.0 assists
Given his recent output, you might be wondering why Klay Thompson is ahead of players like Draymond Green and Kevin Love on this list, but he’s a shooter and one has to think that the ball is going to start going in more frequently at some point in this postseason.
Thompson averaged a career-high 22.3 points this season, which was a bit of a surprise with the addition of Kevin Durant, but he’s seen that average dip nearly eight points in the postseason due to the fact that the shots just aren’t falling. He’s shooting a very uncharacteristic 38.3 percent in the playoffs — he shot nearly 47 percent in the regular season — and his 3-point percentage has taken a hit as well. After shooting 41.4 percent during the year, he’s managed just a 36.4 percent mark in Golden State’s 12 playoff games. An average player might be happy with those stats but this is Klay Thompson we’re talking about.
Thompson showed flashes of brilliance in last year’s matchup with Cleveland, namely his 37-point outburst in Game 5 on 11-for-20 shooting, but he did shoot just 35 percent from the 3-point line in the seven-game series a year ago. Yes, the Warriors are playing at an extremely high level right now but with all due respect, they’re not facing the likes of Portland, Utah and a Kawhi Leonard-less Spurs team anymore.
They’re playing a team that came back from a 3-1 deficit last year to steal the NBA title and to get back on top, Klay Thompson has to start making shots. When they’re falling, he’s as dangerous as anyone in the game and he has to hope that the “shooter keeps shooting” thing goes his way.