SAN FRANCISCO –-When Dallas Mavericks guard Klay Thompson came to Chase Center on Nov. 12 for the first time as a member of a team not name the Golden State Warriors, approximately 400 Warriors employees lined up down the hallway and greeted him with a warm reception leading to the visitor’s locker room.
Those employees, along with the fans who packed Chase Center that night, wore captain hats which the team passed out in honor of Thompson affinity for boating and the water. No such fanfare took place Sunday night during Thompson’s second trip to the Bay Area as an ex-Warriors player, nor was it expected, although he did receive a thunderous ovation when he was introduced in the starting lineup.
And that was more to the liking of Thompson, who described Sunday’s semi-emotional return to the Bay Area as “way easier” the second time around.
“Especially not seeing all the captain’s hats,” Thompson said. “I saw a few though, so that was cool.
“But it’s much easier and I felt more settled in than I did the first time I was here.”
Thompson was so settled in and dialed in that he tallied a season-high 29 points Sunday on 9-of-14 shots. He also was 7-of-11 from three-point range, and converted three consecutive triples down the stretch to help the Mavs get out of town with an entertaining 143-133 win over the Warriors.
In spending the first 13 years of his career with the Warriors and helping them win four NBA titles, Thompson was feeling a certain sort of way after Sunday’s game. He said as far as regular season wins, for him, this one was special and ranks right up there with any regular season game he’s had, which is why he took time to cherish the moment.
“I just wanted to take that moment myself, because I spent a lot of days here, especially when I couldn’t play,” Thompson said. “And just to take in the crowd in the arena, I just took that moment for myself, because I worked so hard to get back to this, to feeling like this, that I feel like I owed myself a second just to soak it all in.”
Even the fans got in on the act when they started cheering whenever Thompson was guarding his former Splash Brother teammate, Stephen Curry, or vice-versa.
“It’s different, but I’m getting more accustomed to it with each time we face each other,” Thompson said. “I mean, we guarded each other plenty of times in practices and scrimmages, and you always cherish the moments you get to face the best players, so it’s cool.
“I get to say I guarded Steph like I guarded Kobe (Bryant) and (Kevin Durant), and it’s just another story I get to tell.”
Another story Thompson told was what happened after the Mavs’ charter arrived in the Bay Area on Saturday.
“I went and drove by my old neighborhood and I was able to go to my friend’s house in Oakland and have a great meal,” he said. “I drove by Oracle (Arena where the Warriors used to play in Oakland).
“I drove by downtown Oakland, and it was very surreal, because I was 21 years old when I came here, and to see the city and the town is always special. So many good memories.”
Thompson’s memory will be so much more pleasant when he knows his four free throws in the waning moment Sunday – after the Warriors cut a 19-point deficit down to 138-133 – helped lock up this win for the Mavs.
“It will always be special to see Klay for the rest of career when we play them – wherever that is,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr said. “It’ll always be special because of what he meant to us.
“It’s good to get that first one (back in November) out of the way — just the emotions of it, the welcome. I’m sure he’s glad to have that one behind him, too.”
Now, back to those captain’s hats. Apparently, they’re a very hot commodity in the Bay Area, which warms Thompson’s heart. Why?
“Because boating and seamanship is probably the only thing that brings me maybe as much joy as basketball,” Thompson said. “So, I’m just really happy I maybe got a whole new demographic of people wearing that hat that might not have ever been on the water before, so that makes me happy.”
WARRIORS ACQUIRE SCHRODER: In an effort to shore up their backcourt, the Warriors acquired guards Dennis Schroder and a 2025 second-round draft pick on Saturday from the Brooklyn Nets for De’Anthony Melton, Reece Beekman and three second-round draft picks.
“I’m thrilled,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr said. “I told Dennis today he’s kicked my (rear end) on three different continents, so if you can’t beat him, join him.”
Schroder will line up in the Warriors’ backcourt alongside Stephen Curry. Ironically, it’s the same spot Klay Thompson had before he signed a free agent contract with the Mavs this past offseason.
“He’s a gamer, he’s a competitor, pick-and-roll player, two-way player,” Kerr said of Schroder. “Losing Melton was a huge loss. By the way I want to say thanks to De’Anthony and Reece for everything, their contributions, their commitment, their efforts. It’s always hard to trade guys, and we wish them both well.
“But you got to do what you got to do to get better, and this was a move that we felt made perfect sense. Everything that we need, we feel like (Schroder) can provide it.”
WASHINGTON THE HEART AND SOUL: After thinking about it, Mavs coach Jason Kidd describes forward P. J. Washington as the heart and soul of his team.
“Once we got the trade with P. J. (last February) we got to see who P. J. is or has become,” Kidd said. “It’s more of, you can say like the heart and soul of the team.
“(He’s) the guy who does all the dirty work, the guy who goes unnoticed in a sense of maybe not talked about as the MVP or an All-Star, but is one that is the glue of the team, one that you can really rely on in any situation defensively or offensively.”
Washington’s value to the Mavs is evident by the fact that they are only 1-6 this season when he’s been unable to play. But he was back on the court after missing last Tuesday’s 118-104 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder with an illness.
“When you have the likes of (Kyrie Irving) and Luka (Dončić), they tend to get a lot of the attention, and rightfully so,” Kidd said. “But when you look at P. J., just what he brings — his grit, his toughness, his basketball skill set fits perfectly with what we’re trying to accomplish.
“You can look at him as being kind of that heart and soul of the team. When he’s out we have not done well. The numbers tell us we don’t play well without him, so it’s good to have him back.”
BRIEFLY: The Mavs can make a strong argument that between Dereck Lively II and Daniel Gafford, they can put those two among any center combination in the NBA. Gafford is averaging 12,5 points, 6.4 rebounds and 1.3 blocks, and leads the NBA in field goal shooting at a sizzling 73.8 percent. Lively, meanwhile, averages 8.8 points, 7.8 rebounds and 1.6 blocks, and is shooting a robust 67.6 percent from the floor. Coach Jason Kidd said: “I think when you look at our center position, we have the best one-two punch. Both can start, both have started this year for us. They both compliment each other, they both push each other, they both cheer for each other, so it’s a great situation to have as a coach. But as teammate it’s great that when you look at D-Live, and he’s having success, and Gaff is the first one off the bench cheering for him, and vice-versa.”
X: @DwainPrice
