Klay Thompson’s arrival marked a major milestone for the Dallas Mavericks, and he instantly confirmed why.
In his debut towards the San Antonio Spurs, he scored 22 factors in a victory.
Thompson adopted with spectacular performances of 19 and 18 factors, setting excessive expectations for his tenure with the group.
Although his scoring has dipped since these preliminary outings, Thompson’s influence hasn’t gone unnoticed, notably by Mavericks legend Dirk Nowitzki, who considers the signing one of many franchise’s smartest strikes.
“I loved the move when he first came. That was a no-brainer. To have someone on the weak side like Klay, he’s one of the best shooters of all time,” Nowitzki mentioned, through Noah Weber.
Dirk Nowitzki on the Mavs including Klay Thompson:
“I beloved the transfer when he first got here. That was a no brainer. To have somebody on the weak facet like Klay, he’s probably the greatest shooters of all time. However I believe we noticed within the Finals, that typically we’d like some taking pictures on the weak… pic.twitter.com/ZScwo1DPtk
The Corridor of Famer expanded on his evaluation, highlighting the group’s want for added taking pictures prowess on the weak facet, a spot they recognized throughout their run to the 2024 NBA Finals.
In Nowitzki’s view, bringing in one of many league’s best shooters was the right resolution.
He additionally praised Thompson’s seamless integration into the group, noting his assured shot choice and talent to play off his teammates whereas additionally commending his defensive contributions.
That defensive tenacity and 3-point accuracy make him a useful asset for Dallas.
Nonetheless, some Mavericks followers have began questioning head coach Jason Kidd’s utilization of Thompson’s ability set.
Whereas adjusting to a brand new system naturally takes time, Kidd’s technique of involving Thompson early in video games has confirmed efficient in serving to him discover his rhythm.
The strategy could possibly be essential because the Mavericks put together to face the Phoenix Suns, the place Thompson’s quick-strike scoring capacity would possibly show decisive.
