‘Character Is Revealed’: Klay Thompson Reverses Course, Suits Up, And Sparks Dallas Mavericks With Vintage Fourth-Quarter Burst Against LA Clippers

Grant AfsethNovember 30, 2025November 30, 2025no comment

Klay Thompson, Dallas Mavericks, NBA, LA Clippers

Photo by Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images)

Klay Thompson woke up Saturday morning expecting to sit. By Saturday night, he was the emotional hinge of one of the Dallas Mavericks’ grittiest wins of the season.

Hours before tipoff against the LA Clippers, the Mavericks listed Thompson as out due to left knee injury management on the official injury report. With six rotation players already unavailable — including Anthony Davis, Kyrie Irving, Dereck Lively II, Daniel Gafford, and Dante Exum — Dallas was preparing to face the second night of a back-to-back without the most decorated champion on its roster.

But somewhere between the soreness, a cold morning, and a trip to the Pacific Ocean, Thompson changed his mind.

“My knee was sore and stiff,” Thompson said. “Honestly, I jumped in the ocean today. Anytime you touch the earth, it gives you energy. Went to my boat, the harbor. Told myself: ‘I’m sore, I’m tired, but this is when your character is revealed.’”

The Mavericks upgraded him to available less than three hours before tipoff. The decision reshaped the game — and, for stretches, the team’s identity.

A Veteran Choosing to Show Up

Dallas already suffered an unexpected setback minutes before tipoff when P.J. Washington rolled his ankle on a loose basketball during warmups and was ruled out. With the roster suddenly even thinner, Thompson’s return became something far more meaningful than a simple injury-report reversal.

“I don’t have much basketball left,” Thompson said. “Fifteen years. If I get a few more, I’m lucky. Every night is a blessing.”

Thompson has averaged 10.9 points in 20 games this season, numbers that reflect a slower offensive start than he hoped. But he has quietly begun trending upward, averaging 14.4 points over his last 10 games, while shooting 39.6% from deep on 9.6 attempts per game during that stretch — a sign that his rhythm is rounding back into form.

He explained that the choice to play was not about feeling physically ideal, but about setting the right tone for a team loaded with 18-, 20-, and 22-year-olds trying to navigate a season heavy on adversity.

“I knew I was due to shoot efficiently,” Thompson said. “I wasn’t feeling well after last night, thought about sitting out, but I’m playing 20–25 minutes — I gotta be there for my guys.”

His teammates felt it immediately. Cooper Flagg, the 18-year-old No. 1 pick coming off a historic 35-point night, said the spacing and confidence Thompson provides changes everything.

“With Klay spacing the floor like he did tonight, it opens lanes for everyone,” Flagg said.

Klay Thompson Delivers Fourth-Quarter Flashback

Thompson’s leadership became production when the Mavericks needed it most.

He entered the fourth quarter with just six points but erupted for 17 in the final period, drilling four threes and hitting a 28-footer with 1:52 remaining that gave Dallas the lead for good in a 114–110 victory. He finished with 23 points on 8-of-13 shooting, including 6-of-10 from deep.

The flurry felt like the familiar ghosts of Game 6 Klay, even if Thompson shrugged off the comparison.

“It felt like a relief,” he said. “I haven’t shot the ball well these first 20 games, at least not to my standard. So when you have a night like that after the tough start we’ve had, it just gives you relief to keep going. It really inspires me to be out there as much as I can.”

Dallas head coach Jason Kidd said Thompson’s late shotmaking was the difference between another narrow loss and one of the team’s most resilient wins of the year.

“Great team win,” Kidd said. “Cooper was great, but Klay played extremely well — key plays down the stretch.”

But Kidd also emphasized what Thompson’s presence means beyond the numbers.

“We’ve got a young team,” Kidd said. “Experiences like this matter. And having a champion out there showing what it looks like — that matters too.”

Thompson echoed that belief.

“As a champion, your character is revealed when things aren’t going well,” he said. “We haven’t had the start we want, but I’m not shying away. I’ll be out there every night for these young players.”

In a season defined by injuries, improvisation, and nights where Dallas has simply had to withstand turbulence, Thompson’s unexpected availability didn’t just stabilize the Mavericks — it fueled them.

It was a reminder that even far into a career, leadership doesn’t always come from speeches or film sessions. Sometimes it comes from a veteran standing on a shoreline, deciding he still has enough left to give.

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Grant Afseth

Senior Writer

Grant Afseth is a Senior Writer for DallasHoopsJournal.com, where he leads in-depth coverage of the Mavericks, Wings, and more. Between a focus on the latest news, closer looks at games, front office strategy, and more, Afseth provides objective coverage. Afseth contributes broader NBA coverage across platforms and has been cited in national outlets for his reporting and analysis. With nearly a decade of journalism experience, Afseth has covered the NBA and WNBA for multiple major outlets, including Athlon Sports, BallIsLife, Sportskeeda, and RG.org. He previously reported on the Indiana Pacers for CNHI’s Kokomo Tribune and the Mavericks for FanNation.

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