Klay Thompon scored 37 points in Golden State’s Game 5 home loss. He was hot and there seemed no spot on the floor that was out of range — Thompson fired from deep. Maybe some of those long ones were so he could get back on defense already, because Kyrie Irving was torching him. Not because Thompson didn’t play good D either — Irving hit some shots with Thompson stuck to him like cellophane on a sandwich. Irving had 41 points. He and LeBron James accounted for 73% of the Cavaliers scoring.
Thompson said of Irving: “He’s a phenomenal player, especially on the offensive end, so it obviously stings. And you watch the film and see what you can do better, but you don’t let it deflate you for Thursday. You play the same hard-nosed defense and try to make them take the same contested shots.’ Thompson continued: “Give Kyrie credit, he was hitting tough floaters, turnarounds, and he just had a great game.” Thompson said the plan for Game 6 was to see if he can hold Irving to 20 instead of 41. That would probably do it.
