Klay Thompson expressed his gratitude after being honored by the Golden State Warriors during his first game at the Chase Center as a visiting player. Following the Warriors' 120-117 victory over the Dallas Mavericks, Thompson acknowledged the positive reception from the fans, calling the experience 'awesome.' 'It was a really cool experience. I appreciate the fans very much,' Thompson stated.
'The captain's hat ended up being a great touch because I'm such a passionate boater. I saw a lot of familiar faces in the crowd, and that was a warm-hearted feeling. It was really cool to see the fans' gratitude towards myself, and that's something I'll never take for granted. So it was very, very awesome.' In a show of solidarity, the entire Warriors crowd donned captain hats to honor Thompson’s return.
The Warriors made significant efforts to celebrate Thompson's legacy, which includes five All-Star appearances and four NBA championships. Pregame festivities featured fans receiving special 'Captain Klay' hats in tribute to Thompson's love of boating, alongside a video montage highlighting his career in Golden State. While Stephen Curry was initially set to address the crowd before the game, head coach Steve Kerr mentioned that this plan was altered at Thompson's request. On the court, Thompson demonstrated his skills by matching his season-high with 22 points, shooting 6-of-12 from beyond the arc in 34 minutes of gameplay. Although the Warriors led by as much as 13 points in the third quarter, the Mavericks rallied to take a 112-105 lead with four minutes remaining. In a tense finish, Curry scored the final 12 points for Golden State during a decisive 15-5 run. Luka Dončić had an opportunity to tie the game with a three-point shot as time expired, but his attempt failed, resulting in a fourth loss for the Mavericks out of their last five games, bringing their overall record to 5-6. Conversely, the Warriors improved to 9-2, marking their best start through 11 games since the 2021-22 season. Thompson is set to return to Golden State once more in the regular season on February 23, while the Mavericks will seek to regain momentum in their next matchup against the Utah Jazz.
