Former All-Star Has High Expectations for Klay Thompson's First Game Against Golden State Warriors

How many points will Klay Thompson score when he returns to the Bay Area?

Mar 31, 2024; San Antonio, Texas, USA; Golden State Warriors guard Klay Thompson (11) looks over in the first half against the San Antonio Spurs at Frost Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Dunn-USA TODAY Sports / Daniel Dunn-USA TODAY Sports

One of the most highly anticipated games of the 2024-25 NBA season is Klay Thompson and the Dallas Mavericks playing the Golden State Warriors for the first time on November 12th at the Chase Center. After spending 13 seasons with the Warriors, winning four championships and making five All-Star games, Thompson decided to sign with the Mavs this offseason leaving that game in November as one that's circled on everyone's calendar.

While some players hoped this would be a Christmas Day game, this matchup landed on the first day of the 2024 Emirates NBA Cup. The extra stakes have one former All-Star thinking Klay will put on an extraordinary performance.

Kenyon Martin, an All-Star with the New Jersey Nets in 2004, recently appeared on "The Gilbert Area Show" and talked about what he expects in that first matchup in the Bay. "Foot to ass. Klay is going to get 35 shots. They going to make sure he gets all the shots. Take 35 shots... [Mavericks coach Jason] Kidd got a--hole in him so he's going to make sure that boy gets all the shots."

Kenyon Martin: “Foot to ass. Klay [Thompson] gonna get 35 shots [against the Warriors].”

Rashad McCants: “If they focus their game plan on Klay and they still got Luka [Doncic] and Kyrie [Irving]... You gotta leave somebody open.”

(via @GilsArenaShow)pic.twitter.com/V43AcGgMen

— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) August 19, 2024

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If Thompson were to get off 35 shots in that game, based on last year's efficiency numbers, he'd have somewhere around 43 points. He's likely hoping he can score even more than that to prove he still has what it takes to be a star player on a championship-level team.

Thompson averaged 17.9 PPG last season while shooting 38.7% from three-point range. The Mavericks are hoping that pairing one of the game's greatest shooters with Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving will make the offense even more lethal. Mavs GM Nico Harrison is even on record saying they believe they could've won the NBA Finals over the Boston Celtics last season had they had Klay Thompson.

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