The Golden State Warriors' contending days with their Hall of Fame core of Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green are numbered. It's unlikely for the Warriors, despite their 118-110 win over the Utah Jazz on Sunday, to move higher than 10th in the Western Conference standings, as it has been a rather tumultuous season for the best team of the past decade.

In particular, Thompson has had plenty of ups and downs; his shot selection problems have risen to the forefront thanks to his decline in shot-making ability, and it got to the point where the Warriors found it best for him to come off the bench. Nevertheless, the 34-year old shooting guard is proud of himself for staying mostly healthy this season, missing just four games in his second full season since returning from multiple career-threatening injuries that kept him out from 2019 to the start of 2022.

ā€œ82 games, I can't be 100 percent every night. I mean, what did I miss, maybe three, four games this year? That's incredible, after two years of rehab plus? That's something I can hang my hat on, just being durable throughout the season,ā€ Thompson said in his postgame presser following their win over the Jazz, from Warriors on NBC Sports via ClutchPoints Twitter (X).

Klay Thompson made suiting up as much as he could a focal point of his prior to the beginning of the season, and he has mostly delivered on that end of his bargain. Thompson has had plenty of low points this season, but at the very least, he seems to be picking himself up at the right time.

Klay Thompson, playing better as of late

Klay Thompson perhaps reached the lowest point of his postseason career when he struggled immensely in the Warriors' elimination game against the Los Angeles Lakers in the second round of the 2022 NBA playoffs. Nonetheless, many believed that he will bounce back before long. After all, Thompson is a proud competitor who knows what level he must perform at for his team to contend for a championship.

Alas, the 2023-24 season has provided plenty of humbling moments for Thompson. The Warriors even benched him in favor of Brandin Podziemski ā€” while Podziemski has been better as advertised in his rookie season, it's quite a precipitous downfall for Thompson to receive this kind of demotion.

Nonetheless, Klay Thompson is back in the starting lineup, and he's trending upward at the perfect time with the play-in tournament beckoning. Thompson's lows may be lower than ever before, but his highs remain high; he scored 32 on 12-23 shooting in their win over the Jazz on Sunday, and during the game that virtually sealed the Houston Rockets' elimination, he put up 29 points on 11-15 shooting, which is no mean feat given how smothering the Rockets' defense can be.

This is the version of Thompson the Warriors will need as they head into what is becoming an increasingly likely matchup against the Lakers in the 9/10 play-in tournament game.

RECOMMENDED (Article Continues Below)
LeBron James Lakers chasedown block Nuggets Warriors Bob Myers

Peter Sampson Ā·

Kevin Durant, Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Deandre Ayton wearing Warriors jerseys

David Rooney Ā·

Golden State Warriors guard Klay Thompson (11) sits on the bench during action against the Sacramento Kings in the fourth quarter during a play-in game of the 2024 NBA playoffs at the Golden 1 Center.

Matt Guzman Ā·

The Warriors guard's return from injury deserves more praise

Klay Thompson had a rather difficult, injury-riddled two-and-a half year stretch. The Warriors guard tore his ACL in Game 6 of the 2019 NBA Finals, and then when he was on the cusp of a return in 2020, he tore his Achilles tendon, sidelining him for another season. It's a borderline miracle then that he was able to contribute at such a high level to the Warriors' championship run in 2022.

Thompson's best days are clearly behind him. But it's a marvel that the Warriors guard is still going, fighting for his place at the top where he legitimately feels like he belongs.