Klay Thompson Thanks Warriors Fans for 'Awesome' Return: 'Really Cool Experience'
November 13, 2024
Even though the result of the game wasn't what he wanted, Klay Thompson was full of love and gratitude after being honored by the Golden State Warriors on Tuesday night in his first game at Chase Center as a visiting player.
Speaking to reporters after the Warriors' 120-117 win over the Dallas Mavericks, Thompson thanked the fans for making his return an "awesome" experience.
"It was a really cool experience. I appreciate the fans very much," he said. "The captain's hat ended up being a great touch because I'm such a passionate boater. Saw a lot of familiar faces in the crowd, and that was a warm-hearted feeling. It was really cool to see the fans, their gratitude towards myself -- and something I'll never take for granted. So it was very, very awesome."
The Warriors went all-out to make sure Thompson was properly acknowledged for his tenure with the organization that included five All-Star appearances and four NBA titles.
Pregame festivities included fans receiving a custom Captain Klay hat in honor of his love of boating and a video tribute of highlights throughout his career in Golden State.
Stephen Curry was originally planned to give a speech at midcourt before tipoff, but head coach Steve Kerr announced they decided not to go through with that at Thompson's request.
When the game started, both sides did everything in their power to get a win. Thompson matched his season-high with 22 points on 6-of-12 three-point shooting in 34 minutes.
The Warriors led by as many as 13 points in the third quarter before Dallas stormed back to take a 112-105 lead with four minutes left to play. Curry scored the final 12 points for Golden State during a 15-5 run to close out the game.
Luka Dončić had a chance to force overtime with a three as time expired, but his shot hit off the rim. The Mavs have dropped four of their last five games and sit at 5-6 overall to start the season.
The Warriors' 9-2 record is their best start through 11 games since the 2021-22 season when they were 10-1. That season ended with them beating the Boston Celtics in six games in the NBA Finals.
Thompson will return to Golden State one more time in the regular season on Feb. 23. The Mavs will look to right the ship in their next game as they wrap up this three-game road trip against the Utah Jazz on Thursday.
