Warriors' Klay Thompson frustrated by latest fourth-quarter benching: 'It's hard for anybody'
Whenever his career comes to a close, it likely will not take long for Klay Thompson to land in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
Thompson was the No. 11 overall pick of the 2011 NBA Draft, has won four championships and is a five-time All-Star selection.
But Thompson's past couple of seasons have been plagued by injuries. Thompson is also just a couple of days away from his 34th birthday. The combination of age and injuries have seemingly contributed to Thompson's lack of playing time down the stretch of recent Golden State Warriors games.
Thompson played 30 minutes during the Warriors' win over the Brooklyn Nets Monday night, but he was not on the floor for the closing minutes.
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Klay Thompson (11) of the Golden State Warriors dribbles the ball during a game against the Brooklyn Nets Feb. 5, 2024, at Barclays Center in Brooklyn. (Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images)
Thompson struggled from 3-point range, missing all three attempts Monday night. Warriors head coach Steve Kerr elected to take Thompson out of the game in favor of rookie Gui Santos with just over seven minutes remaining.
Thompson did not return to the game.
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Superstar Warriors guard Stephen Curry finished the night with a team-best 29 points, and Jonathan Kuminga added 28 points and 10 rebounds to help lift Golden State to the 109-98 win.
Despite the team's much-needed victory, Thompson was visually frustrated after the game.
"Yeah, you kidding me? To go from one of the best players … It’s hard for anybody," he told reporters in the locker room.
Thompson seems to be adjusting to going from arguably the second-best shooter in the NBA and a great two-way player to being a solid starting player. He will also enter the free agency market after the season, but it appears the Warriors are not looking to trade Thompson before this year's trade deadline.
Thompson is averaging 17.1 points and 3.5 rebounds per game in 45 games this season. His overall shooting percentage this year is close to the league's average.
Klay Thompson (11) of the Golden State Warriors shoots the ball during a game against the Brooklyn Nets Feb. 5, 2024, at Barclays Center in Brooklyn. (Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images)
Another veteran player who was a key part of the Warriors dynasty, Draymond Green, agreed to a lucrative four-year extension with the Warriors last year.
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The Warriors have largely been disappointing this season. The team sits at 22-25 with just under two weeks left before the NBA's All-Star break.
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