The Golden State Warriors 2022–23 NBA season has gotten off to a slower-than-expected start. Given that they rank 25th in the league for defensive rating and 10th in offensive rating, they have been notably suspecting on the defensive end of the court.

 

Considering how good Stephen Curry is playing—he is once again playing at an MVP level—the start is particularly alarming. The team is having trouble for several reasons, including the disorganized bench. However, Klay Thompson’s troubles are the ones that the public is watching the most.

 

It is astonishing in and of itself that Thompson has been able to play again after rupturing his Achilles and then tearing his ACL, which resulted in a break of more than 900 days between appearances in NBA games. He needed to shake off the rust last season, and he has appeared to be a shell of his former self this season.

 

Thompson had attempted more shots than points this season heading into the weekend. Against the New York Knicks, who had allowed several big scoring nights this season, he started to show some signs of life. They faced the New York Knicks for the first time this season, and Thompson made 50% of his shot attempts.

 

Thompson’s explosion on Sunday against the Houston Rockets appears to be his turning point. He had a season-high 41 points, making 10-of-13 three-pointers, and he helped Golden State earn their first victory on the road this year.

 

Thompson explained what contributed to his recent turnaround in performance after the game. Although Thompson’s admission that outside noise was bothering him was unexpected, he is now moving past it.

 

I no longer care, Thompson said. I truly allowed the trolls to affect me. “What am I doing?” etc. You can criticize me all you want, but I recently realized, “Man, just be yourself, and all of it will fall into place” However, I know my talent and abilities, and true Warriors supporters are also.

 

The first month of the season has been spent by Thompson trying to get back to his old Klay self. At times, it seemed like he was pressing and shoving things along. He found his rhythm against the Knicks and carried that into the play against Houston, letting the game come to him.

 

Thompson’s recovery from his rut has been aided by returning to the fundamentals. His track record speaks for itself, and he’s regaining that calm confidence, which is terrible news for the rest of the NBA, which is trying to beat the Warriors.

 

Draymond Green stated, “He is not concerned about what happens with Klay. He is worried about what will transpire with this team. And Klay performs admirably, and we triumph when he worries about what will happen to this team. He’s the most competitive person I’ve ever played with, and winning has always been important to him. All of us occasionally stray from our true selves. And you need someone in a brotherhood to remind you of who you are. Without a doubt, he would act the same if it were me.

 

Golden State appears to be coming into its own. However, it is still troubling that it required a historic performance from Curry, Thompson, and Andrew Wiggins—their combined 23 3-pointers are the most ever scored by a trio in a single NBA game—to defeat the lowly Rockets.

 

As the bench develops, Steve Kerr will rely more on his talents, leading to more victories in the ensuing weeks. If Thompson’s comeback this weekend helps the Warriors get back on track and results in a lengthy winning run, no one would be surprised.