“We’re Still Here”: Mavericks Knock Out Kings Behind Klay Thompson’s Redemption Play-In Game

Klay Thompson scored 23 points to lead the Mavericks past the Kings 120-106, keeping Dallas’ playoff hopes alive ahead of a play-in showdown with Memphis on Friday.

Photo: Dallas Mavericks

Exactly one year after Klay Thompson’s lowest moment on the Golden 1 Center floor, the veteran sharpshooter delivered a signature performance to keep the Dallas Mavericks’ season alive.

Thompson scored 16 of his 23 points in a blistering second quarter, helping Dallas erase the ghosts of last season’s play-in failure and eliminate the Sacramento Kings with a 120-106 win on Wednesday night. The Mavericks advanced to Friday’s Western Conference Play-In Tournament finale in Memphis with the No. 8 seed — and a playoff berth — on the line.

“It did feel good to exorcise those demons in here. Man!” Thompson said during his on-court interview with ESPN. “Last time I was here was not very fun.”

Thompson had gone scoreless on 0-of-10 shooting in Golden State’s play-in loss to Sacramento on April 16, 2024 — his final game as a Warrior. Back on the same floor one year later, he overcame a quiet opening quarter with a vintage stretch, drilling four 3-pointers to spark a 44-point second-quarter explosion from Dallas.

“That kind of lifted the lid off the rim for me,” Thompson said of his first made shot, which bounced high off the rim before falling. “So that was nice.”

Thompson, Davis Lead Mavericks’ Surging Second Quarter