r/nba • u/TheFatmanRises Heat • 2h ago
Klay “Klank” Thompson preseason shooting stats: 7/26 FG, 3/20 3FG, 0/0 FT
Is it safe to say to that Klay Thompson is just having a cold start or should the Heat lower their expectations on Klay Thompson shooting this season? Although he did performed good on defense on some possessions I’ve seen. What’s your thoughts?
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u/Szobortz Mavericks 2h ago edited 2h ago
one thing klay did in a tanking situation with mavs was surprisingly give effort. it’s clear that he was planning a buyout and thus auditioning for next team. he was way too locked in.
what was apparent was that he has lost it. now, we get to see how much of that shot will work without athleticism. he can probably be a sudden spark for some games. but man. i think age and injuries caught up.
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u/Saucy_Totchie Knicks 2h ago
Torn ACL and then torn achilles in back to back years. It's amazing he even came back at all.
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u/Charlie_Wax Warriors 2h ago
Yeah, the first phase of his career ended with that foul by Danny Green.
His contract with the Heat is very modest by NBA standards and he doesn't need to play like 2019 Klay to justify his salary. He's in the Kyle Korver phase of his career where you're happy if he just stands in the corner and hits open threes. Whether his legs are gone or not, I'd never worry about Klay Thompson's shooting.
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u/UnnamedStaplesDrone Warriors 1h ago
sometimes i think of how Danny Green's career ended with Embiid flopping into his knee and smile a bit
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u/taxiviaalfa Raptors 2h ago
Age and two career-altering injuries in a row. I'm glad he won another ring in 2022 because that's probably the last ring he's ever gonna sniff in his career
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u/darkjurai Knicks 2h ago
He could just keep sniffing the ones he already has.
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u/xXEliteEater500Xx 2h ago
The poor man has to sniff the four rings he has. How is he supposed to feed his family?!
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u/Diqt Toronto Huskies 1h ago
No thumb ring, just the fingers. That'd probably drive me crazy to have such an incomplete set.
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u/flandemic1854 [GSW] Baron Davis 37m ago
But two on each hand would be fun. Two peace signs✌️✌️. Two devil horns 🤘🤘. Maybe even a double Shaka brah 🤙🤙
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u/mnkhan808 Lakers 2h ago
Remember when he asked what the Heat’s single season record for threes made was? 😂
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u/OmastarLovesDonuts Mavericks 2h ago
He started the season cold but got better as it progressed, I wouldn’t necessarily count on it happening again this year but there’s a precedent for it
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u/morethandork 40m ago
He’s started every season cold basically since he turned 30. This post is hugely reactionary to 3 pre-season games.
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u/Szobortz Mavericks 2h ago
the defense showed bad athleticism and that is a signal your shot won’t work in situations where you’re guarded. he was trying so hard in a lost season but just couldn’t keep up.
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u/so-cal_kid Lakers 13m ago
His defense has actually looked pretty good so far in the preseason. He's moving his feet well and staying in front of guys. He just cannot make a shot
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u/Son_of_Atreus Celtics 2h ago
Draymond Green looked at Klay’s career post-Curry and the reality of being out in the wild without him and said no thanks.
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u/Sensitive-Pool-7563 2h ago
He doesn't need to 'audition', wtf? He will find a contract or he wants to
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u/Successful_Candy_759 Timberwolves 2h ago
Are you for real? Of course he does. He can find a contract sure, but his performance determines value
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u/GreyBoyTigger Warriors 2h ago
Klay’s been a notorious slow starter. The difference now is that he’s not the second scoring option and he’s slow.
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u/RansomGoddard NBA 1h ago
34.6% from 3 in the month of October for his entire career.
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u/corruptionO_DR Warriors 2h ago
Still think he can find his range. If he’s like this with the heat around the all-star break - China here he comes!
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u/GreyBoyTigger Warriors 2h ago
The shot is still there. He just needs to realize all those injuries caught up with him and to use his energy to steer his man into Giannis or Bam on D and to spot up. He doesn’t have that that pull up that was so deadly anymore
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u/corruptionO_DR Warriors 2h ago
Still miss him tho. And Poole…
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u/GreyBoyTigger Warriors 2h ago
No doubt. I live somewhat close to where he lived and was hoping for a Captain Klay homecoming
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u/Afraid-Department-35 Mavericks 2h ago
I think this has been a regular thing for awhile now. Same thing happened with us, started real slow like shooting 29% then got his avg upto like 37% I think by the time the season ended.
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u/butt_fun San Diego Clippers 2h ago
Preseason stats generally don't really mean anything, especially for teams with big offseason changes and an aging roster
The team isn't trying to win games, it's trying to anticipate what winning games might look like halfway through the season
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u/BackendSpecialist 76ers 2h ago
Klay has been struggling since he was in GSW. Hes now in MIA with all those bad Latinas and his boat… homie don’t give af about 3p%
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u/FuckThaLakers Timberwolves 2h ago
It's only the preseason, but 3/20 is crazy from arguably the 2nd best shooter of all time
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u/Johnpecan Warriors 2h ago
I haven't followed his post-Warrior career as closely, but his hast last few seasons as a Warrior he was always a very slow starter in the beginning of the season.
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u/rickeyethebeerguy 1h ago
He was always a slow starter. I remember when Patrick McCaw was a rookie Klay was historically bad to start that year
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u/Hotpotlord 1h ago edited 3m ago
Sighhhh lol, like the most basic bitch new Warrior fan comment.
That’s how he is every season his whole career but he also hasn’t bounced back well enough in years.
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u/TrevorArizaFan Hornets 1h ago
I think this illustrates some of the issues with sample variance in shooting splits. If he makes five more shots, it’s the difference between being a 15% 3PT shooter and a 40% shooter. It’s just too small to really determine anything.
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u/UnderDOdubOG 2h ago
He plays into form every season, wouldn't worry about it. He shoots well come January.
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u/Junior-Assistance649 2h ago
It still isn't great that he plays himself into form/shape especially now that he is older
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u/BurnieTheBrony Grizzlies 2h ago
I hate this guy but I'll take 13 years of above 38% threes over a couple preseason games. Shooting tends to outlast other parts of your game, too.
He could definitely be a net negative on the floor but I'd definitely expect above 37% for the full year. No good reason not to.
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u/m3ngnificient Warriors 1h ago
Klay's likelihood of bouncing back to flamethrower form may get lower as he gets deeler into unc age, but every year, fans have always had this overreaction early into the season almost every year now.
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u/TywinRightfullyLann 2h ago
ray allen balled til the end, what is wrong with klay?
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u/SquidwardLover48 Cavaliers 2h ago
Maybe the two major injuries to his lower extremities? Also his “fall off is vastly overstated, he was still one of the best 3 point shooters even last season
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u/TywinRightfullyLann 2h ago
He was extremely unlucky for those two, pretty fucked up going one after the other and still won a chip later,
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u/Gamesgtd Magic 2h ago
Ray Allen is a way better athlete than Klay Thompson ever was. Comparing the two is ridiculous. Ray Allen was once in the dunk contest. He wasn’t just a shooter. So when he started to slow down athletically, he still had another elite skill to fall back on.
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u/TywinRightfullyLann 1h ago
This is true too, but klay was physically strong to defend at a high level , i havent watched too much ray allen games from his prime to have an opinion at it, and the injuries aint no joke either definitely have an effect on the body
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u/scormegatron Heat 1h ago
I love Shuttlesworth, but look at the stats.
At this point in his career, Klay has had a better eFG% every year through season 13, while putting up more 3PA per game.
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u/ChickenBeanEgg 2h ago
Feels like he lost his fire a while ago. Ray kept his longer
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u/boneappletv Celtics 2h ago
Ray was an absolute psycho when it came to conditioning and preparation. Not saying Klay is a slouch, but not many people can match Ray’s drive.
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u/TywinRightfullyLann 2h ago
Its one of things that exemplifies how hard shooting really is , like damn i still remember the 27 straight threes by houston , like come on you train so much somthing , and still not enough
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u/Big_Magazine2608 Pacers 2h ago
We have to make "Klank" Thompson his new nickname if he keeps shooting like this lol
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u/Brooklyn917 Nets 2h ago
I don’t what it is but Klay would look like a dead fish vs the whole league and then turn into Michael Jordan vs my Nets. He had his best game this preseason, hitting 2 of those 3 made 3s vs The Nets. When he was with The Mavs he turned the clock back to Old Klay vs us.
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u/OmastarLovesDonuts Mavericks 2h ago
Unfortunately for you, many otherwise bad players and teams look great against the Nets
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u/TheBigDelicious_ 2h ago
Wait I just saw a post about how he was locked in during a practice scrimmage where he made 5 shots. I thought he was good?
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u/jcheeseball Heat 2h ago
what are the Heats expectations?
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u/20BeersDeep Gran Destino 2h ago
Sit in corner shoot 3s when giannis drives and kicks. And not get rocked in defense
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u/HandyDandyNotebook98 Warriors 2h ago
Tell me you haven't watched Klay. In his time in the league, dude routinely shoots horribly in the month of October/first half of the season. But by the end of the season, he actually reaches close to 40% shooting from 3. So unless he has a huge role offensively for the Heat, he's all good
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u/Gontofinddad 2h ago
Klay is/was always streaky.
His 8/13 Nights cancel out his 2/12 nights. He’s still a 40% from 3 guy.
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u/bight111 1h ago
Looks like the longer he plays the lower he’ll shoot himself down the all-time shooters list 😔
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u/OpeDefinitely Pacers 2h ago
20 3pt attempts? In a pre-season game? What is Spo doing?
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u/BruinBound22 Kings 2h ago
How did his shot decline like this? One of the things that shouldn't really age that badly...
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u/RussiniTouchedMe 2h ago
Why? Shooting is something that declines with age just as much
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u/Gamesgtd Magic 2h ago
The fact that people don’t know this just exposes how little about basketball they know. Another one of my favorites is when people say a player doesn’t rely on athleticism so they should age well. All NBA players rely on athleticism and once it diminishes you will age poorly. In fact the players that age the best are those who rely on their athletic ability when they’re younger because it means when it falls off it’s not as dramatic of a fall off as it would be be for others.
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u/WayTooLazyOmg Supersonics 1h ago
except… shooting doesn’t decline with age? if we’re talking from a 3point shooter perspective. the elites all get better with age. however, their off the dribble shots decline
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u/Gamesgtd Magic 1h ago
Everything declines with age brother. You need to be athletic to shoot. Sure you may have the mechanics regardless of age but in an actual game where you are running up and down and going through screens or running to spot up you have to be able to have the ability to pivot before and after you get the ball to accurately shoot the shot you are taking. As you get older that gets much harder. Older players will not have the stamina to be able to do that. Relocating gets harder as you age because you are slower and the defense is coming out you full force to deny the shot. Even when wide open it's harder to shoot with age because having the legs for the lift slowly goes away during the course of a game. So a player could start hot but end up cold and not being able to recover.
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u/Morezingis Timberwolves 1h ago
Turns out Steph’s gravity and Draymonds screens helped generate more open shots
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u/MysteriousSeat5245 Knicks 9m ago
To get good shots, you need to get open. To get open, you need to be quick and athletic. Klay is old with a previously torn ACL and Achilles. Hence diminished athleticism. He inherently can’t get the same shots off he used to with the same level of ease, and that hurts his percentages.
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u/ThizZuMs Warriors 2h ago
He doesn’t take the same shots he used to.
Before his injury he was catch and shoot, maybe one dribble after a pump fake fly by.
Now he’s taking contested pull up threes, hes drifting on his shot, taking step bacc threes.
I honestly think he worked so hard to get bacc healthy and wanted to prove he was the same guy from before, he tried to come bacc new and improved adding a bunch of shit to his game that just…doesn’t work.
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u/theopeliminator 1h ago
Mannnn you are crazy!!! You think he added the movement shooting and contested shooting after his injury?! 😂😂😂
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u/ThizZuMs Warriors 12m ago
You think he was consistently shooting off balance shots and off the dribble before his injury?
Because I can tell you right now, he wasn’t.
From time to time it would happen sure, but after his injury he moves like that is his game, and it’s not.
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u/LeadershipDapper617 9m ago
He played well during the 22 championship season. I think it has to do with the females this time. He’s older and can’t be much of a player anymore. Iykyk
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u/thebignoodlehead Kings 1h ago
Movement shooting and pressure shooting get worse when you lose mobility. Stationary and touch shooting usually get better. Old heads at the park shoot well, but they tend not to take difficult shots.
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u/dirtyshits Warriors 33m ago edited 27m ago
Hes always been pretty streaky. He will have a 2-10 from 3pt night or 3-4 off nights then go on a scorcher for a week or two.
Basically been this guy his whole career. The one thing you will notice when he does have a bad streak is he wont be square to the basket and will rush his form(presumably because he’s pressing) It’s so easy to spot. Happens every year at least once a season. When Hes scorching it’s like everything around him is moving in slow motion and his from plus positioning is text book.
This is an extremely small sample from preseason nonetheless. Hes not not the same guy he once was but Hes also not 3/20 or whatever either.
Reading some of these upvoted comments is hilarious. Folks really be speaking confidently about everything on this sub.
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u/Realfan555 9m ago
Yeah the shooting doesn’t decline with age.
It’s the ability to get open or get ur shot off quickly that declines.
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u/FERFreak731 Jazz 2h ago
And he has a player option next season. Common Pat Riley giving three point shooters an overpaid moment
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u/ChrisRhodes789 2h ago
Dude only went to Miami to slay Miami 9’s & 10’s off the court..
Unc don’t care about slaying Miami 3’s on the court..
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u/No-Cantalou 76ers 1h ago
At this point yes he’s going to hurt his legacy if he performs like this again. Dallas let him walk, Heat gave him a chance
But this is Bronny numbers
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u/Impossible-Group8553 1h ago
I wouldn’t be concerned. He’s one of the best shooters ever. At worst you’ll get like 10ppg shooting 37% from 3 with decent defense and that’s being conservative. He’s perfectly capable of being the 5th or 6th option.
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u/Spiritual_Wall_2309 1h ago
Klay role is exactly what you expect from Heats Ray Allen. Get you 10 pts with 38-42% in 3s. Go 1-7 for one night and 4-6 the next day.
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u/HoopLoop2 Thunder 1h ago
He could have just retired and lived his life with Meghan the Stallion, instead of cheats on her and puts up terrible numbers. Man's gotta get his priorities straight.
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u/theloneliestorbit Thunder 1h ago
Warriors only good move within the last half decade was getting off Klank Thompson at the right time
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u/pmurff107 1h ago
I’m hoping for a good season from Klay.
He’s in my top 3 of guys I wouldn’t mind having a beer with in the NBA.
Gotta take it easy on those back to backs.
Them tires don’t have much tread left on them.
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u/JichaelMordon 44m ago
His defense has looked serviceable and he’s making good reads. If the shot is the one issue through a few preseason games then I think the Heat are happy cause history shows he will get hot as the season progresses. Look at his shooting percentages for each month throughout his career.
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u/Homie-6987 Heat 43m ago
I am frankly surprised it's a heat fan posting this lol. Klay always has a cold start to the season, plus if you have seen any of our games, they never leave Klay open, he could have gone 0/20 but he is still of value with his gravity creating space. He has been amazing on D as well defending the 4 with Wiggins taking the tougher assignment. He has been pulling stocks. To all the people suggesting he doesn't care, he is drowning in the luxuries of Miami, you don't pass our physical conditioning doing all that. Klay will definitely come clutch playoff time, I personally see him play more minutes. Is he at his prime? No
Do we need him at his prime? No
He is the equivalent of Antoine Walker in our first ring, the Ray Allen in the third ring. He will swing a couple games in the playoffs for us.
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u/ShaH33R2K 14m ago
Eh it’ll be fine. Don’t expect him to be Prime Klay, or even close to it by any means, but he’ll be a solid contributor for the team, especially as he shoots his way back into form
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u/Insightful21 3m ago
The past two seasons in Dallas Klay shot in the high 30’s from 3 on volume. Him spacing the floor is going to be integral to Giannis doing his thing offensively. Even if he’s cooked, there’s no way Klay’s man is leaving him to double team Giannis
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u/Folk-Herro Heat 2h ago
Doesn't he always shoot like shit to start the season and then finishes around his career average? I'm not too concern
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u/peanut-britle-latte Knicks 2h ago
As much as I dislike pre-season stat lines, I've been saying bro is washed for at least 2 seasons now. Not sure he can really contribute to Miami.
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u/gigglios 2h ago
Hes had a good career. Got 4 titles as a 3rd/4th option. Less pressure role. He has been cooked for a while now. Looked cooked in 2022 title run too but gsw didnt face any good teams that run so it was hidden to casuals
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u/Beetle919 Hornets 2h ago
Best used as a spark plug if he hits his first 3 if not bench him, he's washed.
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u/20BeersDeep Gran Destino 2h ago
Spo isn’t the coach to start you if do bad. He’ll come off the bench for Hardaway jr
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u/WobbleKun Raptors 2h ago
you sent him to miami what you think is going to happen. brother wakes up famished.
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u/Kdog122025 Warriors 29m ago
I would once again like to remind everyone that Klay shows up fat every offseason and it takes him until Christmas to really get going.
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u/Unfair-Map-517 2h ago
Like bro just fucking hang it up. You’re beyond washed.
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u/S0ggylemonz Celtics 2h ago
I love when people say this as though he isn’t getting paid a ton of money
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u/BananaRepublic_BR Spurs 2h ago
Why is Klay taking 20 3s at all? No one player should be taking that many 3s in one gamw.
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u/imminentjogger5 Warriors 2h ago
post injury Klay has always been hot and then cold, yes and then no, in and he's out