Klay Thompson climbs to 2nd all time in Finals 3-pointers with 104, trailing just Steph Curry (146).
The evolution of the long ball and the Warriors’ recent dominance has made the 3-point shot a historically prominent part of the NBA Finals.
In Golden State’s Game 5 victory over Boston on Monday, Klay Thompson punctuated that development with his 100th career 3-pointer in the Finals. Thompson joins teammate Stephen Curry and four-time NBA champion LeBron James as the only players in NBA history to make at least 100 3-pointers on the championship stage.
Thompson’s first 3-pointer of Game 5 was also the 1,000th postseason 3 made by him or Curry. The achievement highlights the duo, long nicknamed the Splash Brothers, and its long-distance dominance since making its playoff debut in 2013.
Thompson’s night of 3-point achievement came exactly three years after the five-time All-Star suffered a torn ACL in the 2019 NBA Finals against Toronto. The Warriors missed the playoffs the next two seasons, which Thompson missed while recovering from that injury and a torn Achilles tendon.
Monday’s victory put Thompson, Curry and the Warriors one win away from their fourth championship in eight years.