Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson; unless you are a fan of the Golden State Warriors, you’re probably sick and tired of hearing about the duo that continues to give teams fits on a nightly basis. The Splash Brothers, a nickname created for the backcourt in 2012, have been unstoppable and their growth continues to show out on full display. They combined for 75 of the Warriors 118 points in the win over the Heat in Miami on Wednesday night and once again showcased that they are one of the more lethal combination of players the league has ever seen.
It started with Golden State knowing that they can’t keep both Curry and Monta Ellis, so they dealt the latter in exchange for center Andrew Bogut. It’s rare for a team to play at a consistently high level or win a championship with two guys in the backcourt who are under 6’6. Klay Thompson entered the picture and became the starting two-guard on a franchise who has seen minimal success for the past few decades.
In 2012-13, they played alongside each other consistently for the first time. Jarrett Jack provided the younger players with veteran help and health was a big key as well. Thompson played in all 82 games, but struggled with his shot. He shot 42 percent from the field to average 16.6 PPG, but he did shoot 40 percent from beyond the arc. Young Steph Curry played in 78 games and really broke out onto the scene in the postseason. He torched the Denver Nuggets in the first round before falling to the San Antonio Spurs in the second. Golden State finished the season 47-35.
Curry continued to grow. In 2013-14, he averaged 24 points per game and was considered one of the better players in the league. Thompson took over as the second best player on the team over David Lee. He shot the ball better and took the next step defensively. Then head coach, Mark Jackson, called Curry and Thompson the best shooting backcourt of all-time. People on the national scene took that comment with a grain of salt, but Golden State fans knew there was something special brewing in the Bay Area. Despite dealing with injuries all season throughout the roster, the Splash Brothers led the Dubs to a 51 win season — a milestone they haven’t hit since 1993-94. They made a run for their money by stretching a first round series with the Los Angeles Clippers to seven games, but ultimately fell short with the lack of a center in the post for the whole series. Jackson was fired after the season, putting an end to isolation heavy offensive sets in Golden State, something to forget about for a long time.
Steve Kerr knew what he was working with when he joined the Warriors as head coach for the 2014-15 season. Curry was on the rapid rise to NBA superstardom and Thompson was establishing himself as a top five two-guard in the league. We’ve witnessed Steph Curry having the best shooting season ever and Klay Thompson drop 37 points in a single quarter. Both players exceeded every expectation set for them and ended the year as NBA Champions as the Splash Brothers brought the title to the Bay.
Watching the Curry and Thompson relationship develop has been exciting for any basketball fan. Both players give each other mutual respect and understand how to play with one another. Curry will look to get Thompson the ball more than anyone else on the team and Thompson never hesitates calling Steph the best player in the league. He did it during the NBA Finals when the Warriors played the Cleveland Cavaliers and LeBron James was still at the top of his personal game. Instead of envy, Thompson praises his fellow Splash Brother.
“Steph has incredible takeover ability,” Thompson said Wednesday night after Golden State beat Miami. “I try to play at his level, but obviously, I’m not as electrifying as him. But we can both get hot at the right times.”
They feed off each other’s energy and step up when the other one is struggling. It definitely helps that they have great passers on the team like Andrew Bogut, Draymond Green, Andre Iguodala, and Shaun Livingston and another guy who can keep the defense honest with his ability to drive the ball in, Harrison Barnes. Golden State’s offensive scheme and ball movement helps get the duo open shots. Whether it’s someone threading the needle to get the two easy open shots, using the elevator doors, or finishing on the fastbreak, both players are unstoppable offensively. Curry is clearly the superior, though.
Thompson picks up the backcourt slack on the defensive end of the ball. While Curry is an improving defender and doesn’t get credit for the work he does on that side, Thompson loves the challenge of taking on the tough tasks. He enjoys guarding the Chris Pauls and Russell Westbrooks of the league. It’s something that Mark Jackson appreciated and Kerr utilizes.
The development of the duo continues daily. Both were selected as All-Stars for back-to-back years and made it to the Finals of the Three-Point Contest with Thompson winning it this year. No one was happier for Klay than Curry, which is refreshing to see. In case you missed it, he was also just as happy when Thompson scored 37 in a quarter against the Kings last season. They love to compete against one another, but never take it out of hand.
Right now, the team is 51-5. They are on pace to have the best regular season record of all-time and show no signs of slowing down. Both shoot the ball at an exceptionally high level and have combined to make more three-pointers than some NBA teams as a whole and we are three-fourths into the season. Whether you love them or hate them, it’s tough to deny the success that they’ve had. Jump shooters tend last longer in the NBA as well; neither player relies on their athleticism. With Thompson being 26 and Curry being 27, they’ll both be doing this for a long, long time. They will go down as one of the best backcourts ever.