When Klay Thompson is asked about which are the best shooters he’s ever played with, you’d think he’d mention Stephen Curry. However, in a recent press conference after Dallas’ win against New Orleans this week, he dedicated this praise to his co-star Kyrie Irving ahead of the next games without injured Luka Doncic.
“He’s one of the best shooters I’ve ever played with,” the former Warriors star said about his newest teammate. “He’s a three-point contest champion. He’s incredibly efficient—just look at his career numbers. It’s ridiculous.”
The 34-year-old is now part of a long list of NBA players who haven’t been able to hide their amazement over Kyrie’s talents. “His body control, his handle, his shot—he’s truly one of a kind. It’s a blessing to be his two-guard. It’s amazing—I’ve played with Kyrie on USA Teams, faced him plenty of times, and guarded him plenty of times… He’s just incredible,” the guard insisted.
Klay Thompson knows a shooter when he sees one and Kyrie Irving certainly fits the bill in his eyes 🎯 pic.twitter.com/2efM3tsjH3
— Ball Exclusives (@ballexclusives) November 21, 2024
Now that their Slovenian teammate is out for at least another week, their coach Jason Kidd has asked both Thompson and Irving to step up in his absence. Klay has participated in all games this season, while Kyrie has only missed on, which was their loss against the Jazz last week.
When both players have shared the court this campaign, Dallas have posted a 5-6 record in 14 matches. The shooting guard has averaged 14 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 1.7 assists in 28.7 minutes per game, while his co-star is averaging 24.3 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 5.2 assists in 34.5 minutes per contest.
Even though Thompson’s stats are still below his best days in Golden State, he still remains optimistic that he’ll keep improving in Texas as he continues to adapt. “I don’t really care about how many shots I get,” the veteran expressed after beating the Pelicans on Tuesday.
“I just want to be as efficient as I possibly can… I’ll have some really big nights here in the future… I can feel it,” he added, pointing out that creating a stronger partnership with Irving could prove to be a defining factor in the Mavericks’ season going forward.
After Jimmy Butler’s return this week, the Heat are now expecting another key player back from injury for Sunday’s match against the Mavericks
One of the most anticipated games of the week is set for Sunday evening, when Miami will face Dallas. After the South Beach club saw Jimmy Butler’s return from an ankle injury during their impressive 106-98 victory against the 76ers this week, they’ve seen their chances of success improve for the season.
Now, the team is ready to receive another key player in their ranks for the weekend, as Terry Rozier has been out due to a foot injury. “By Sunday, I should be perfectly fine,” the player reassured fans of his availability against the Mavericks.
“It’s nothing we’re too worried about. I got an MRI to make sure everything was good,” the former Hornets star added. “I’ll be back on the court and everything’s fine. It’s just been a little agitated, that’s all.”
The 30-year-old then admitted that he really was needed this week-long break before making his way back to the courts, because his foot really needed the rest. “I knew the schedule coming up would give me a couple of days to work on it and get everything right,” Rozier shared this week.
