Klay Thompson Helps Warriors Survive Lakers Comeback, 117-115

When the Warriors needed him most, Klay Thompson delivered to help snuff out a Lakers comeback bid at Chase Center Saturday night.

The Golden State Warriors had squandered a 15-point lead over the visiting Los Angeles Lakers as time dwindled late in the fourth quarter Saturday night.

But as Chase Center began to tense up, Warriors guard Klay Thompson had a look in his eye — a tunnel vision of sorts — ready to single-handedly give the lead back to his team.

Scoring a season-high 33 points — including 16 in the fourth quarter alone — Thompson helped Golden State survive the Lakers’ comeback effort and snap a two game losing streak and beat Los Angeles, 117-115 at Chase Center.

“Phenomenal. He just took over the game at a time when we desperately needed him,” Kerr said. “He just has a look and his face and a bounce in his step. You can just see it coming.”

The Warriors, who were only two nights removed from a 116-114 heart-breaking loss to the New York Knicks Thursday night, came out of the gates quickly against Los Angeles. Building a 15-point advantage midway through the second quarter.

As an under-sized and underwhelming rebounding team, however, Golden State quickly let that advantage evaporate as the Lakers found success driving and kicking for open three-point looks as well as attacking the basket.

“I thought we played very poorly,” Kerr said of his team’s performance. “I thought we played a very poor defensive game. Let back-cutters get to the rim, we didn’t box out. Transition defense was really bad.”

Able to hold off the Lakers throughout the third, Golden State allowed Los Angeles to take its first lead since the first quarter less than 30 seconds into the fourth.

The Lakers grew their advantage to as many as six points before Thompson, who had only scored 17 points before the period started, began to catch fire. It had taken Golden State over four minutes to score its first points of the quarter.

“Our offense was kind of struggling to find a groove,” Kerr said. “He got hot and took over the game.”

The peak of Thompson’s offensive onslaught began with 3:31 to play in the game as he nailed three triples in a row to catapult the Warriors into the lead.

“I know it's always in me but these things just happen naturally,” Thompson. “If I could do that every fourth quarter I would. It's just not the game of ball. It’s a flowy game where great things happen with time.”

From taking shots in transition to catch-and-shoot deep-balls off of offensive rebounds, Thompson looked like the Klay of old — before two catastrophic lower-body injuries ripped him away from the court.

“It’s kind of majestic,” Warriors guard Stephen Curry said. “He just has this calmness on his face… He’s a man about his business.”

Up by three points with seven seconds to play, Golden State was able to survive the Lakers comeback bid after LeBron James, who passed Kareem Abdul Jabbar as the all-time regular season and postseason scorer, missed two free throws which would have tied the game if made.

According to Kerr, it was nice to see Thompson back in his element and even better to see his body endure the demanding toll the game requires — especially under a minutes restriction coming back from injury.

“It hasn’t been easy finding when to play him and where as we’ve led up to this point,” Kerr said. “But now we’re getting to a point where it’s a little bit easier… We’re going to need him for the long-haul.”