Klay Thompson is one of four Warriors that will be in New Orleans as an All-Star this weekend, but the sharp shooter from Golden State will also be looking to defend his title in the Three-Point Shootout.
Thompson and the Golden State Warriors are currently the top team in the NBA in wins, and they come into the All-Star break with a 3.5 game lead on the Spurs in the Western Conference standings. Thompson and his three fellow All-Star teammates (Steph Curry, Kevin Durant, and Draymond Green) will all enjoy this weekend in New Orleans, but Thompson knows they’ll need to come back focused in order to lock up the home court in the West as quickly as possible.
Aside from the obvious benefit of having home court advantage in every series, wrapping up the top seed early is important to the Warriors for a different reason. Golden State wants to take a different approach to the end of this season, after last year when they were busy chasing down the NBA’s regular season wins record. This year, after two straight trips to the NBA Finals and coming off an Olympic year, the Warriors want to be able to use some of the final weeks of the season to rest up and ensure they are fresh going into the regular season.
Thompson spoke with UPROXX Sports recently about his Three-Point Shootout strategy, loving the freedom of the All-Star game, getting comfortable with Kevin Durant, and the importance of rest for the Warriors as they wrap up the regular season.
You’re defending your 3-Point Shootout title on Saturday. Do you have a set strategy for dealing with the racks and pulling from a certain spot, or is it just go out and shoot?
It’s just go out there and let it fly. I try not to overthink it. You know, there actually is one strategy, you gotta seam the balls up. I always try to grab ‘em by the seams. Other than that, nah, just go out there and let it fly. Don’t think and just shoot. I think in my first year, I let my nerves get to me a little bit, but last year I got used to it and hopefully I can repeat the same performance?
I know some guys complain that the racks mess them up. Your first year doing the shootout, were there any concerns about it having an effect on your shooting form?
Nah, I mean, sometimes guys get in their own way. We all have the same level playing field. You can’t overthink it. It’s that simple, just go out there, grab a ball and shoot it. Hopefully it’ll go in at a high rate.
It seems like you and really everyone on the Warriors has a green light when you want it, but when you get into an All-Star game is it fun to go out there and really be able to just let shots fly with less regard for the consequence?
Oh yeah! It’s just playing pickup, so it’s a great time. You see a bunch of dunks, 35-footers, a lot of lobs and it’s a lot of fun. You’re just trying to be a showman in the All-Star game. You throw passes that you’d get pulled for in the regular season. That’s what makes the All-Star game fun, and it’s loose. Hopefully it can be a little more competitive this year, but it’s all for entertainment. So, we’re pretty excited about it.
Steve Kerr said a few weeks back that he felt that everyone was starting to really settle in with having KD on the court. Do you feel that’s the case?
Yeah. I think the first couple months we were still getting used to his playing style, he was still getting used to our system, there’s obviously going to be bumps along the road. It’s part of the game. We’re used to what he does now, and he’s playing at an incredible level. He’s just doing what he does and he makes my life easier and everyone on the roster’s life easier. And he’s a great worker. I mean that guy puts his time in. That’s why he is who he is and an MVP.
For you personally, has there been any difference in the looks you’re getting or frequency of those looks that you’ve had to adjust to at all?
Actually, not really. To be honest. Same looks, I’m getting a lot of open looks actually. Just being the beneficiary of the attention Steph and KD and Draymond draw. All those guys have great vision too. I mean, Kevin averages almost five assists a game, he’s such a well-rounded player. So, I haven’t really had to adjust what i do. My life’s easy, I just run around out there and shoot the ball. Keep it simple.
This season as much as any it feels like there’s been a lot of discussion about NBA players and the need for rest. After two straight trips to the Finals, you’ve played as much basketball as anyone recently, what’s your process during the year for balancing rest and working out, as well as your nutrition plan to work through the grind of the season?
Well there’s a fine line between too much rest and overdoing yourself on the court. I think we have a great leader in Steve Kerr who can really balance that out. As I get older I’ve realized how important dieting is. Dieting is huge. Actually the reason I’m here to day is for chocolate milk, and it’s the best thing for post-workouts. It’s backed by science, all-natural and most importantly it’s delicious. Dieting, training and taking care of your body as far as recovery, when I was 20 years old I didn’t have to stretch or do nothing, just pick up a ball and go. At 27, I’ve got to work out the kinks and the tightness every day. So I realized how important those three things are and I’m going to keep doing that for hopefully another 12 to 13 years.
With regards to rest, will there a different approach to the end of the season this year compared to last year when you had the wins record hanging out there?
Yeah, we really want to lock up this number one seed. That’s going to be huge for the playoffs to get the home court the whole way. So, hopefully we can get a couple more games on the Spurs, I know they’re right on our heels, but I think coach will rest some guys. I think it’d be much needed. I mean, Kevin played in the Olympics. Steph’s been to two straight Finals. Draymond played in the Olympics. Guys are getting into their 30s, and we need our rest. There are gonna be a few games where guys take off, for the sake of managing. We don’t want to burn out trying to get whether it’s 70 wins or in the high 60s, we just want to be at our peak come May or June.
