In anticipation of his first playoff series against the Lakers, Warriors shooting guard Klay Thompson paid tribute to late NBA legend Kobe Bryant. Thompson, who put up an impressive 30 points in the Warriors’ recent victory over the Memphis Grizzlies, expressed his admiration for Bryant and his impact on his own athletic career.
“Obviously, he was my biggest inspiration,” Thompson said. “I’m just gonna play my hardest to honestly honor him and Gigi because, without his play and all those years of me viewing his tenacity on the court, I would not be the athlete I am today.”
Thompson, a five-time All-Star and integral part of the Warriors’ championship runs, also shared his excitement about playing in front of his friends and family in Los Angeles, where his father played for the Lakers and helped lead them to two NBA championships. Thompson reminisced about his own high school basketball days, dreaming of one day playing on the Staples Center court.
"I'm a huge Kobe [Bryant] fan. He was my biggest inspiration. I'm just going to play my hardest to honor him and Gigi cause without his play and me viewing his tenacity on the court, I would not be the athlete I am today."
Klay Thompson on playing in LApic.twitter.com/6rOS2RXz4W
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) May 5, 2023
With Games 3 and 4 of the series set to take place in Los Angeles, Thompson is eager to take on the Lakers and continue to honor the legacy of one of his greatest idols. “It’s such an incredible experience to play in front of my friends and family,” he said. “I’m just excited to do it in a building where all my hoop dreams came about.”
Klay Thompson Leads Warriors to Victory and Ties Series Against Lakers in Game 2
Klay Thompson scored 30 points in just 31 minutes, leading the Golden State Warriors to a resounding 127-100 victory against the Los Angeles Lakers in Game 2 of their Western Conference semifinal series. The sixth-seeded Warriors evened the best-of-seven series at one win apiece, as they head to Los Angeles for Games 3 and 4, which will be hosted by the seventh-seeded Lakers.
After a poor Game 1 performance, Thompson bounced back in Game 2 with an impressive shooting display. He made 11 of his 18 shots, including 8 of 11 from 3-point range, extending an NBA record for the sixth time. Stephen Curry backed Thompson with 20 points and a game-high 12 assists, while JaMychal Green stepped up in the starting lineup with 15 points.
The Warriors dominated from the second quarter onwards, outscoring the Lakers 41-19 in the second quarter and 43-29 in the third. The Lakers’ Anthony Davis was held to just 11 points, while LeBron James scored 23 and Rui Hachimura added 21.
Thompson paid tribute to Lakers legend Kobe Bryant, saying that he was his biggest inspiration and that he would play his hardest to honor him and Bryant’s daughter, Gigi. The Game 3 matchup between the Warriors and the Lakers is set for Saturday night, and it promises to be an intense battle between two of the NBA’s most storied franchises.
