Klay Thompson scored a record-breaking 14 three-pointers on Monday as the Golden State Warriors maintained their blistering start to the season with a 149-124 demolition of the Chicago Bulls.
Thompson broke teammate Stephen Curry’s NBA record for most three-point field goals in a single game of 13 when he nailed his 14th three-pointer of the night midway through the third quarter at the United Center.
The 28-year-old Thompson — who has struggled to find his scoring touch in the opening weeks of the season — finished the game with 52 points as the Warriors improved to 6-1 in the Western Conference.
Photo: Mike DiNovo-USA TODAY
Thompson later revealed that Curry had urged him to go for his record as he continued to drain a series of three-pointers.
“Before I went out for the second half, Steph just looked at the box score and said ‘Go get it,’” Thompson told reporters.
“That shows the unselfishness that’s within him. Same with ... everyone else that was out there on the floor with me, just trying to find me and give me good looks,” he added.
“I forced a few bad shots, but I was so anxious. Anytime there’s an NBA record at stake, you kind of get a little nervous,” he said.
Thompson had set the tone for a superb display in the first quarter when he exploded for 22 points to help the reigning NBA champions surge into a 44-28 lead.
The Warriors put up another 48 points in the second quarter, and reached the halftime buzzer leading by an incredible 42-point margin at 92-50.
With the game as good as won, it became simply a question of whether the red-hot Thompson would surpass Curry’s three-pointer benchmark.
Thompson tied Curry’s mark with his 13th three-pointer of the night with 7 minutes, 12 seconds remaining in the third quarter and then bagged his 14th with just under 5 minutes left, coolly draining a shot from the edge of the arc.
Warriors coach Steve Kerr said he was unaware that the team were doing their best to engineer a record-breaking night.
“I didn’t even realize what was happening record-wise until they called a time out in the third quarter,” Kerr said. “I heard Klay saying ‘two more, two more’... At that point, the guys were just feeding Klay and felt for him because he’s had a rough start to the season.”
Thompson’s 52-point haul led the scoring with Curry adding 23 points and laying on five assists.
Durant had 14 points, while Alfonzo McKinnie came off the bench to weigh in with 19 points. Quinn Cook also had 14 points off the bench.
Elsewhere on Monday, the eagerly anticipated match-up between the league’s last two unbeaten teams, the Eastern Conference-leading Toronto and Milwaukee, saw the Bucks run out winners by 124-109.
The Bucks were missing Greek star Giannis Antetokounmpo, who was placed under the NBA’s concussion protocol earlier Monday after suffering a blow to the head against Orlando on the weekend.
The Raptors were missing Kawhi Leonard, opting to rest the star forward for the contest.
With Antetokounmpo missing, the Bucks spread the scoring around with no fewer than seven players reaching double figures.
Ersan Ilyasova led the scoring with 19 points, while Malcolm Brogdon and Eric Bledsoe had 17 points apiece.
The Bucks’ 7-0 record now leads the Eastern Conference, their best start since the 1971-1972 season, when the club won its only NBA crown.
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