Klay Thompson Drops 33 Points and Eight 3-Pointers on the Suns in First Half Alone

Klay Thomson with the Golden State Warriors in 2017.
Klay Thomson with the Golden State Warriors in 2017. Photo by Robert John Herbert/CSM/REX/Shutterstock (7946500r)

When Golden State Warriors sharpshooter Klay Thompson gets hot, there is no stopping him. The Phoenix Suns witnessed that first-hand after Thompson dropped 33 points on them in the first half of the Warriors’ 123-112 win on Monday night.

Thompson started his scoring run on the Warriors’ first possession of the game, hitting a three-pointer after an assist from Draymond Green. The 33-year-old All-Star went on to hit seven buckets from beyond the arc and shoot 12-of-18 from the field to help his team grab a 75-58 lead on the half.

The Suns game marked the fifth time that he managed to score at least eight three-pointers in the first half. According to Basketball Reference, this is the most by any player since “at least” the 1996-97 NBA season.

With the Warriors already having a big lead, Thompson took a breather in the second half. He finished the game with 38 points and five rebounds. He is currently averaging 22.3 points per game, tying his career-high from the 2016-17 campaign.

The win over the Suns allowed the Warriors to remain at No. 5 in the loaded West and avoid slipping to the play-in tournament. They are currently tied with the LA Clippers, who are at No. 6, and trail the fourth-seeded Phoenix by a game and a half.