Klay Thompson reflects on the Dallas Mavericks competing without Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving

In recent weeks, the Dallas Mavericks have established themselves as one of the NBA‘s top teams, boasting a 17-10 record highlighted by 12 wins in their last 15 games. However, Thursday night presented a significant challenge as they were forced to compete without their star players, Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving. The absence proved too much to overcome, and despite Klay Thompson‘s contributions, the Mavericks fell short against the Los Angeles Clippers.

“We (didn’t play) very well,” Thompson admitted in the postgame press conference. “But it’s not the end of the world. It’s our first time playing without our best players… I’m sure it won’t be the last,” he added. “We’ll be ready next time because it’s a completely different style of play, obviously.” The shooting guard emphasized that while the absences of Doncic and Irving are significant, the team is capable of performing better.

Reflecting on the team’s difficulties during the game, Klay acknowledged their struggles on both ends of the floor. “Looking at the numbers, offensively we struggled,” he said. “And defensively, actually.”

Thompson led the Mavericks in scoring with 22 points in 29 minutes, yet he was critical of his performance, particularly from beyond the arc. “It’s frustrating when you shoot the ball that poorly from three, and I was a big culprit of that,” he admitted, referencing his two makes on nine attempts from deep—a 22% efficiency.

Kyrie Irving #11 and Luka Doncic #77 of the Dallas Mavericks react during the fourth quarter in Game Four of the Western Conference Second Round Playoffs at American Airlines Center

Thompson’s journey back to form

Despite the off-night, Thompson continues to show glimpses of his peak form. Known for his sharpshooting and scoring ability during his time with the Golden State Warriors, the 34-year-old has been steadily adapting to the Mavericks’ system.

“Just being more familiar with the offense and my teammates as each game progresses,” Thompson explained. “We haven’t even hit the new year yet, so I know there’s still another level for myself to get to, and that really excites me.”

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Klay Thompson shares honest thoughts about playing with Luka Doncic on the Mavericks

Jason Kidd’s perspective on the loss

Head coach Jason Kidd also shared his thoughts postgame, highlighting Thompson’s contributions and the team’s overall effort. “Klay was great, the group was great,” Kidd said. However, he credited Los Angeles for their performance, noting, “We just ran out of gas. Give the Clippers credit. They were the better team tonight.”