KLAY THOMPSON WAS in inspired form against the Indiana Pacers last night for the remarkable Golden State Warriors.
At one stage it looked like the shooting guard would break the NBA record for three-pointers in a game – 12 – but Thompson was rested for most of the fourth quarter before eventually limping off with a sprained right ankle after being re-introduced to steady the ship.
Thompson finished with a game-high 39 points and added seven rebounds and six assists for good measure.
The Warriors were in inspired form in the first half – even for them – as they racked up 79 points. They led by 28 at three-quarter time and gave their big names a rest – however Indiana rallied in the final quarter to make it a more respectable 131-123 scoreline.
MVP Steph Curry was his usual impressive self, registering 29 points, 10 assists and seven rebounds. And he couldn’t speak highly enough of his in-form team-mate.
“He had eight threes at the half,” Curry said. “That is amazing. You could see the look in his eyes. When he has that look, he is going to have his confidence all night. All it takes is for a couple of shots to go in.”
Golden State, after winning four games to finish their regular season last year, are unbeaten in 27 games and are 23-0 for this season. This ties them for second in the NBA’s history of longest unbeaten streaks with the Miami Heat of 2012-13.
The longest unbeaten streak in NBA history belongs to the LA Lakers of 1971-72 who won 33 games in a row.
The Warriors could tie that on Christmas Day when they host LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers. Before then though they must see off the Celtics, Bucks (twice), Suns and the Jazz.
And if they can stay unbeaten after all that, and you’d be brave to back against them, they could make NBA history four days later against the Sacramento Kings to make it 34 in a row.
