Warriors’ First Two Scoring Options in the Playoffs

April 15, 2013; Oakland, CA, USA; Golden State Warriors point guard Stephen Curry (30) drives in with the screen by shooting guard Klay Thompson (11) against the San Antonio Spurs during the second quarter at Oracle Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports

Let’s be real here, folks. It’s not like the Warriors are going to have a championship run. If they do, it’d be one of the most incredible things I’ve ever seen, except for the 8th seeded LA Kings winning the championship in the NHL. Golden State does have upset potential, but they don’t really have home court advantage over many teams, and will likely falter in the playoffs on the road. In a big atmosphere like Oklahoma City, they don’t yet have what it takes to be a real threat.

That being said, do the Warriors have a real go-to person down the stretch? The definite answer is no, but there are a few guys on the Warriors who can hit big shots. These guys have faced off with superstars. At times they show flashes of superstar dome, and at other times, they’re having horrible shooting nights. Yes, I can only be referring to the guards when I say that Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson are the go-to guys.

Klay Thompson? That guy that has a low shooting percentage? While this may not happen often, Klay Thompson scored 23 points on 10/17 shooting against the Spurs. Out of those 17 shots, he took 4 three pointers. I can recall more than 5 times when he drove to the basket for a layup. He would have done better, but was limited by a mild ankle-sprain in the second quarter. Still, the Warriors are lucky to have this guy playing at a higher level again.

Another thing about Klay Thompson that’s beneficial is his height. At 6’7″ he’s one of the tallest shooting guards in the league. Lately, they’ve been utilizing him in the post, and if he works on it, he can be a threat from there, as well as from the outside. He can hit the jump shot over smaller defenders, which are most of the other shooting guards.

As for Curry, you know the story. Shakes and bakes, passes to Lee, or steps back for an insanely deep three pointer. You think to yourself, “There’s no way that’s going in.” Sure enough, is splashes right through the basket, the opponents shake their heads, and Curry shimmies. There’s no possible way that Curry isn’t the other go-to guy.

Don’t believe me?

When the Warriors were playing the Rockets, Klay Thompson sizzled with 26 points, while Curry outdid him with 29. Those two were the life of the game in a blowout of the highest scoring team in the league. This is pretty damn impressive, if you ask me. Whenever the Rockets were about to catch up, Klay Thompson drilled two three pointers in a row.

Against New York, Curry scored 54 points, and at least three 3-pointers in crunch time, proving he knows how to handle a situation like this. Earlier this year against the Kings, David Lee fed the ball to Thompson, who drilled an incredible three pointer to give the Warriors the lead and eventual win. If these guys aren’t the ones to go to for a quick three pointer, then I don’t know who is!

When the Warriors were about to mount a comeback (which ultimately wasn’t completed) against the Jazz, they were down by 11 with about two minutes left. Thompson drained a corner three, and on the next possession, Curry drilled one. It was a 5 point game. A totally realistic deficit to comeback from with one minute left. Unfortunately, the Warriors weren’t able to get that win.