Golden State Warriors’ shooting guard, Klay Thompson, recently took a nostalgic journey back to December 5, 2016, when he etched his name in basketball history by scoring a remarkable 60 points in a game against the Indiana Pacers.
The iconic performance saw Thompson achieve the unprecedented feat of scoring 60 points in under 30 minutes of action, becoming the first player in NBA history to do so.
Thompson’s exceptional display saw him shooting 21-of-33 from the field and sinking 8-of-14 three-pointers. His astounding 40 points in the first half of the game tied him for the second-most points scored in a half over the past decade. His accomplishment stood as the highest-scoring output by a Golden State player in over four decades.
Reflecting on the extraordinary game during a conversation on Podcast P with Paul George, Thompson acknowledged the perfect synergy of teamwork and individual excellence that contributed to his historic feat. He mentioned the impact of his teammates, such as Zaza Pachulia’s screens and Draymond Green’s impeccable passes, along with the gravitational pull created by Kevin Durant and Stephen Curry.
“Just one of those days where everything felt great,” Thompson said. “I mean 40 [points] in the first half, that’s hard to do. I was getting good looks the whole night. But I was getting good looks the whole night playing within the offense. Zaza [Pachulia] setting those dirty picks getting me wide open. Draymond [Green] was putting in the pocket for once actually. Right on the seams. Gravity that KD and Steph brought to the team. I was getting wide open looks.”
As Thompson humorously stated, “Hopefully I can do it again, but in 29 minutes I don’t know if I’ll be able to top that. Some things just stand the test of time. That might be one of them.”
