Klay Thompson keeps proving that he doesn’t need to be in a Warriors jersey to break records, as he’s continued to knock down shots from beyond the arc ever since he landed in Dallas this summer. The guard’s elite shooting have now moved to fifth on the NBA’s all-time three-point list after dropping his 2,561st-career triple.
The historic basket occured during the fourth quarter of the Mavericks’ Christmas Day loss against the Timberwolves, now surpassing Hall of Famer Reggie Miller’s 2,560. By the second quarter, the Splash Bro had already tied the Pacers legend at the American Airlines Center.
“It’s honestly a dream come true,” Klay expressed postgame. “I want to celebrate it tonight because you just think of all the hours you spent shooting and all the time you’ve gotten up in your lifetime.”
Klay Thompson has passed Reggie Miller for the 5th-most career 3-pointers made in NBA history 👏 pic.twitter.com/9HVbpBbDJ3
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) December 25, 2024
He then added: “To pass such an icon like Reggie, it’s super surreal for me. Especially being a 90s baby, I watched him, he hit so many game-winners, battled against the best that ever played, and leaving it all out on the floor.”
Thompson ended the match with 12 points on 4-of-12 shooting from the field, plus 4-of-10 from range, then adding four rebounds, one assist, two steals and two blocks in 29 minutes. However, the Mavs lost to the Wolves even with teammate Kyrie Irving’s 39-point contribution.
Coach Jason Kidd was very proud of his veteran guard, despite him wanting to take a win on this Christmas Day clash. “I think it’s incredible for his journey,” Kidd told reporters postgame. “He’s going to go down as one of the best shooters to play the game.
The Dallas tactician then mentioned what it means to surpass Miller’s record. “To be able to pass Reggie, it’s history. He’d rather take the W than pass Reggie, but it’s still history and something that he’ll look back at,” he said. “”It’s incredible that Reggie has dropped that far that fast. But again, Klay is playing at a high level for us and we’re going to need that if Luka [Doncic]’s out.”
Co-star Luka Doncic left the game as he strained his left calf late during the second quarter of their 105-99 defeat in Dallas
Christmas Day didn’t bring the gifts that the Dallas fans were expecting this year, as their team lost to Minnesota this Wednesday at the American Airlines Center. Things got even worse when star Luka Doncic exited the game late in the second quarter due to a left calf strain, as now they all await for the MRI to know how bad it really is.
The Slovenian guard was holding up a fierce fight against the Wolves until he left the court in their 105-99 defeat. As the Mavericks started out the third quarter without their best player, and suddenly found themselves trailing by 28 points.
Nevertheless, the team almost produced a late-comeback in the final minute, but Kyrie Irving missed a three-point attempt and their rivals finally sunk the final bucket of the match.
“It’s kind of deflating,” said Klay Thompson, who moved for fifth on the career 3-point list that evening. “We have such a deep roster, and that’s why we can withstand this time without him. We obviously are not the same without Luka in the lineup. We are going to do everything we can to go on a run here without him.”
