May 26, 2022; San Francisco, California, USA; Golden State Warriors guard Klay Thompson (11) reacts after a three point basket against the Dallas Mavericks during the first half during game five of the 2022 western conference finals at Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports

Game 6 Klay was born during the 2016 Western Conference Finals and came to life again in Game 6 of the 2022 Western Conference semifinals against the Memphis Grizzlies. But on Thursday, Klay Thompson unleashed Game 6 Klay a game early.

Thompson and the Golden State Warriors were hosting the Dallas Mavericks for Game 5 of the Western Conference Finals. The first half went great for the Warriors, who jumped out to a 69-52 lead. Thompson was the catalyst, scoring 19 points, shooting 11-for-17 from the field and 5-for-8 on threes.

While Thompson is a great scorer, the his first half performance in Game 5 stood out in a big way. Despite Golden State taking a 3-1 series lead into Game 5, Thompson’s performance had not been especially strong. His 19 first half points exceeded what he had done in the entirety of any of the first four games. It also eclipsed what he’d done in the first half of the first four games combined.

NBA fans following the game took a strong notice of that performance.

That was the precise performance that the Warriors were looking for out of Thompson. If he has found his shooting form, Golden State will be even better going forward. Given that this team got to Game 5 of the Western Conference Finals with a 3-1 lead despite Klay struggling to consistently find his shooting form that’s a scary thought.

[ESPN Stats & Info]

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