Klay Thompson finally caught fire for Miami, scoring 25 points on 9-of-14 shooting and hitting 7 of 12 from deep as the Heat beat the Indiana Pacers 145-125 for their second straight win.
It was the breakout Heat fans had been waiting on. Through his first five games, Thompson was averaging 7.8 points on 31.7% shooting, as reported by ClutchPoints. His seven threes helped Miami set a season high with 18 as a team.
“It wasn’t the best start to the season,” Thompson said. “But to come out here and play with poise and confidence, I knew I was due for a night like this.”
Giannis Feeds the Fire
Giannis Antetokounmpo posted his second triple-double in a Heat uniform with 31 points, 18 rebounds and 10 assists, and he called Thompson one of the best shooters of all time. Erik Spoelstra described Klay as “the definition of ignitable.”
Thompson also spelled out his role plainly: play hard-nosed defense, space the floor and give Miami’s best players room to work, with the goal of helping Giannis win another championship and MVP.
The IAHHM Take
A few days ago, Gilbert Arenas was openly disappointed in the 0-4 Heat. Two wins later, the vibe is different, and Klay is a big reason why. The Giannis and Bam Adebayo pairing creates the gravity, but this team needs a shooter who can punish defenses for helping. When Klay is hot, everything opens up.
The real test starts Monday, when Miami opens a five-game West Coast trip against the Lakers in Klay’s hometown. Four rings with Golden State means he knows how to get up for a big stage.
Is this the start of a Klay bounce-back season, or just one hot night?
Source: ClutchPoints
