Klay Thompson was a key element in the Warriors’ close-fought Game 1 victory over Memphis. He had two huge plays in the last 36.6 seconds of the game to clinch the victory.
Thompson silenced the crowd at FedExForum when he hit a clutch 3-pointer with 36.6 seconds left to give the Warriors a 117-116 lead. He got the chance to extend the lead later with two free throws, but, he missed both of them.
“Missing two free throws is very uncharacteristic for me but I’m human,” Thompson said in the post-game presser. “I’ve learned from so much experience that you have to move forward when you still have the lead.”
The rare pair of missed free throws allowed Memphis to not only have to shoot a three, but a single shot would have put them in a position to win the game as time expired. He knew the Warriors need to move on and make a defensive stop.
“I’m proud of myself for turning that page and just focus on defensive end. I learned in life you can’t go back. I did miss those free throws, and I’m very disappointed on myself, but I quickly forgot about them and realized that we have a chance to win this game in four seconds.”
Thompson had a bad shooting night in Game 1. He had 15 points on 6-of-19 shooting, while he only made 3 threes on its 10 attempts from beyond the arc. The in-game adversity did not stop Thompson from making the two biggest plays of the game to lead the Warriors.
In the last play of the game, Morant exploded to the basket and tried to hit an easy lay up, but thanks to Thompson rotating over to help contest the shot, the Memphis superstar missed.
“Obviously, I thought he was going to attack, and I did not think Brandon Clarke was going to be the one that shot the last shot,” the Warriors’ superstar said. “I just knew it was going to go to the best player.”
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