For much of the last two years, Mavs fans may have felt that Klay Thompson had fallen off a cliff. His averages of 13.0 points on 40.1/37.8/91.6 shooting splits through two seasons with the Dallas Mavericks are a far cry from the 19.6 points on 45.3/41.3/85.8 shooting splits he averaged in a little more than a decade’s time with the Golden State Warriors. 

The stunning Luka Doncic trade initially softened the blow, but eventually put Thompson and those who defined the Nico Harrison era on a microscope. Doncic’s departure left a ton of touches and even if Anthony Davis moved to Dallas and Cooper Flagg arrived earlier this year, the missed shots and off games only added fuel to the fire. 

To be fair to Thompson, he has come back from a torn ACL in his left knee and a torn right Achilles tendon, injuries that can change the career trajectories of some players. But he averaged 21.4 points and knocked down 40 percent of his three pointers in the two seasons after that and unfortunately for the Mavs, they’ve yet to see that side of the 35-year old. 

But, on a cool November night in Inglewood, the turning point may have come for Thompson. 

Flagg may have scored a new career-high in points in Dallas’ 114-110 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers, but it was Thompson’s six points during a critical 13-2 run in the third quarter that brought the Mavs back into the game. The five-time NBA All-Star then proceeded to score 17 of his 23 points in the final quarter, revealing how his devastating shooting can prove damaging in a matter of minutes. 

We’re at the point when the words “vintage” and “throwback” are associated with Klay Thompson and perhaps the wear and tear, the major injuries, and him approaching his late 30s have him playing like big games are indeed a homage to his time as a Splash Brother. But he may be finding his rhythm once again. 

In his last four games, Thompson has hit the 20-point mark twice and has converted on 48 percent of his 25 3-point attempts during that span. He’s been moving around pretty well and it’s been evident that there’s a bounce in his step once again. Dallas is certainly hoping that he’s rediscovering his form because it could help them move up from the cellar. 

The Mavs are currently 2.5 games behind the 10th place Memphis Grizzlies for the final Play-In spot and with more or less a quarter of the season having gone by, there’s still a ton of basketball to be played.  

Klay Thompson’s stint with the Dallas Mavericks has been anything but a bed of roses, but the Thanksgiving break must have been great for Thompson as it may have helped him rediscover his touch. Sustaining his fine form thus far is the next step, because slowly but surely, he’s also finding that joy in basketball once again. And that could very well change the narrative as he reintroduces himself to Mavs fans.