NBA WESTERN CONFERENCE SEMIFINALS: LAKERS vs WARRIORS

May 4, 2023

Klay Thompson

Media Conference

Golden State Warriors 127, Los Angeles Lakers 100

Q. How much extra space was there in this game as opposed to the first game for you?

KLAY THOMPSON: Well, I think we applied what we watched from film as far as moving the ball, spacing the floor. I mean, shout out to JaMychal Green, what an amazing night he had. Can't leave him open. He's a knock down three-point shooter and rugged defender, and to be inserted in the starting lineup like that just shows his professionalism and his readiness and what he's about and couldn't be more proud of him and grateful for his effort tonight.

Q. Draymond said you were kind of particularly agitated the last couple days about the Game 1 performance team-wide. What about it, besides the loss, ticked you off?

KLAY THOMPSON: I didn't play well personally. I thought I let my guard down. I thought we let one slip away but we did our job tonight, and we know how well this team plays at home, so we've got to go to L.A. with the same mindset as far as physical defense, ball sharing, and having fun and just being, you know, us older guys just being the leaders we are.

Q. Steve has referred to your 37-point quarterback in the day as a religious experience. What are these moments like? You jump differently in that zone?

KLAY THOMPSON: These are moments you work for. You might not see them all the time when you're in the gym, when you're conditioning, running a thousand miles. But those short moments of euphoria and that flow state where you just feel like you can't miss, make all those hard days more than worth it. I was just trying to get the crowd going and it's always fun when you shoot the ball well.

But it's even better when you couple that with a win.

Q. You had a really big game tonight. Obviously you led the team tonight but it was the exact same stat line as Game 3 in the Finals against the Cavs and LeBron in 2017, 11 for 18 from the field and 8 for 11 from three, 30 points. One, did you know that? And two, can you speak to you in that type of play in the playoffs and then to have that against LeBron yet again and then you said this was a dream come true of a series for you; just elaborate on that?

KLAY THOMPSON: I have no idea. That feels like an eternity go. It's still seeing LeBron as a Laker because of the history the Warriors and the Cavs have. LeBron is one of those special players, the Michaels, Kobes, LeBron who bring out the best in you, especially from a competitive standpoint. It's always an honor to match up against the greats. It's not us versus LeBron James, though. They have a very complete team, the Lakers do. I mean, the fact that he's still doing this at 38 years old is incredible and inspiring for athletes everywhere.

Q. With Steph getting in foul trouble, did you feel like there was an onus on you to get the offense going?

KLAY THOMPSON: Not really. I just try to play within myself. And I told myself that last game. I watched film. I feel like I forced a few shots and tonight I just played in the flow of the offense. I'm at my best when I'm running around screens, hitting the open man and cutting hard.

Steph was magnificent tonight, 20 and 12, ran the offense perfectly, and we go as he goes. I think everybody knows that.

Q. Sunday in Sacramento, you talked about sort of the personal significance and emotion of this series for you. As you mentioned, something you had dreamed about for a while to play the Lakers in the playoffs. What's it going to be like to play the games in L.A., the next two, and how does that change the dynamic for you?

KLAY THOMPSON: Doesn't change much. It will be myself. I'm going to play hard on both ends and hunt great shots. But just from a life standpoint, it's such an incredible experience to play in front of my friends and family.

I mean, I would go to STAPLES as a high school basketball player with my pops, dreaming of playing on that floor, playing against the best in the world and now to be here and be a part of it, I don't lose sight of that perspective of how great this opportunity is, and I'm just excited to do it in a building where all my hoop dreams came about.

I have so much respect for just the opportunity ahead for me. I'm a huge Kobe fan, he's my biggest inspiration and I'm going to play my hardest only to honor him and Gigi because without his play and me viewing him on the court, I would not be the athlete I am today.

Q. How do you view your specific matchup in this? You have Reaves and Schröder on you, you guarded Reaves last game, you war guarding D'Angelo a lot tonight. How do you do that and how can you win that matchup?

KLAY THOMPSON: All those guards you mentioned are very good. They have very good chemistry with AD, especially the ball convene, I may not have the same quickness I did in my 20s, but I can use my size and positioning to deter good looks for those guys.

It's just about sticking with the game plan and not getting caught up in the individual matchup; if you feel like you have a mismatch, you kind of over compensate sometimes. For me it's about staying within the flow of the offense and hunting great shots. When I do that, I have nights like that.

Q. Draymond Green a couple minutes ago talked about being decisive more so in this game certainly than Game 1. Did you sense decisiveness specifically from him and how much easier does it make your job when he's locked in on both ends like that?

KLAY THOMPSON: That's the Draymond Green we love. He's so great in the pick-and-roll. He's so great at making plays off the pick-and-roll, and he's like a point guard for us out there, being 6-7, 250, and the ability to get to the rim, shoot the three, hit the open man. I can't name a lot of players who play like that. He's our Swiss Army knife and when he's getting downhill and he's finishing at the rim and he's hitting the open man, like, we are at our best. So we'll look forward to this continued effort by Draymond, and just like Steph, we go as Dray goes.

Q. Can you repeat what you were saying when you banged that three early in the third quarter, or is that something you can't go into?

KLAY THOMPSON: Wait, what's that.

Q. You were screaming after that three, you were obviously in euphoria. Do you know what you were even saying?

KLAY THOMPSON: No. Sometimes when are out there and you're having fun, things just come about without intention or thought, and I think I was saying something along the lines along -- a few probably cuss words I'm not proud of but those are the moments I feel the best as an athlete when you feel like you're just clicking with your game is just effortless.

Q. Draymond spoke of playing with more force to kind of maybe take Anthony Davis out of his groove a little bit from Game 1. How much was that an emphasis to just at least make him alter what was working so well?

KLAY THOMPSON: Yeah, I mean, Draymond can match up with anybody. He does well on bigger guys, smaller guys. He has incredibly quick feet for his size and long arms and he's just a pest, and we know how great AD is. He's one of the best in our game so we are going to try to make it as tough on him as possible because we know how important he is to the Lakers winning games.

I thought Dray did an incredible job on him tonight. It's a tall task obviously for Dray to keep this up, but we know he's capable and we're going to trust him to continue to try and slow him down.

Q. You had a great game tonight. How did you prepare yourself for this game differently than you did for the first game?

KLAY THOMPSON: I would say I relaxed a little bit more. I was not happy with my Game 1 performance. Shot the ball very inefficiently. Probably rushed some shots, and tonight I just let it come to me, and I was telling myself to stay patient and it paid dividends.

Q. Last time you were in L.A. for a playoff series, I think it was the Clipper in '19 when you took the dip in the ocean that you said rejuvenated you. Any similar plans?

KLAY THOMPSON: Well, if the weather is better, it's not so June gloomy, I'd love to go jump in. Hopefully go down to hand Manhattan Beach or something and jump in by the pier. There's just something about getting in the Pacific Ocean and body surfing that just resets your whole mental and your spiritual being, and I'm a true believer in the powers of the ocean and all her healing properties.