‘Just Having Fresh Legs’: Klay Thompson Breaks Dallas Mavericks’ Single‑Season Bench 3‑Point Record

PORTLAND, Ore. — Klay Thompson has accomplished nearly everything imaginable in his NBA career. Setting a Dallas Mavericks franchise record as a reserve in a challenging season was not part of the original plan, but the future Hall of Famer has embraced the role with trademark precision.

Thompson surpassed Tim Hardaway Jr. for the most three-pointers off the bench by a Maverick in a single season on Friday night at Moda Center. He hit his 174th of the year in the first quarter of a 100-93 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers. Thompson now has 189 three-pointers on the season with eight games remaining, leaving him just 11 shy of his 11th career season with 200 or more makes.

“For Klay, it’s been great, I think, when we asked him to come out of the starting lineup and come off the bench,” Mavericks coach Jason Kidd said. “But you can see his game speaks for itself and the year that he’s having.”

Klay Thompson’s Historic Production from the Dallas Mavericks’ Bench

The record is a direct product of a role Klay Thompson has embraced fully since transitioning to a bench contributor. He currently leads the league this season with 15 games of five or more made three-pointers off the bench—tying Terrence Ross (2018-19) and Dāvis Bertāns (2019-20) for the fourth-most such games in a single season in league history. Only Malik Beasley, Payton Pritchard, and Wayne Ellington have recorded more.

“Just having fresh legs coming into the game, being confident every time I touch it, and just letting it fly and not getting discouraged when you miss a few,” Thompson told Dallas Hoops Journal. “I saw the hoop. I was open, you know, I had my feet under me, and every time I feel that, I’m gonna let it go.”

The move to the bench has sparked a definitive statistical resurgence for the four-time champion. While Thompson averaged just 8.8 points on 33.8% shooting in eight starts this season, his production has soared in 56 games as a reserve.

Klay Thompson Simplifies the Game for Dallas Mavericks’ Bench

As a bench player, Thompson is averaging 12.2 points while his three-point shooting has skyrocketed to 40.2% on 7.8 attempts per game. This is a staggering increase from the 27.5% he shot from deep while in the starting lineup earlier this year. His overall field goal percentage has also risen significantly, from 33.8% as a starter to 40.3% as a reserve.

Marvin Bagley III, who contributed 26 points in the win over Portland, emphasized how Thompson’s presence changes the geometry of the court for the second unit.

“Klay being a great shooter draws a lot of attention, so me understanding that and trying to make it easier for him has been great,” Bagley said. “And Brandon, the way he gets downhill and creates offense—I’m just trying to put myself in positions to give him pockets and make it easy for my teammates. It’s been great. We’ve just got to continue to build on what we did tonight.”

Up Next

The Mavericks (24-50) return to American Airlines Center for a quick home appearance against the Minnesota Timberwolves (45-29) on Monday night. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. CT.

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