After making 727 starts during the regular season as a rookie with Golden State in 2012, Thompson, 34, had not been left out of the starting lineup.
In addition, he became the 153rd player in NBA history to score 15,000 points in their career.
Coach Steve Kerr remarked, “Klay coming off the bench gives us a lot of firepower.”
“After taking a quick look, we’ll see where it goes next.
“He did a fantastic job managing everything. Coming off the bench for the first time in [more than] 11 years was not easy, but he did it with a determined and competitive demeanor.
“Klay, though, is a winner. He’s among the most driven individuals I’ve ever encountered. He played a fantastic game and answered appropriately.”
Thompson, who entered the game seven minutes into the first quarter, scored 17 points in 12 minutes, leading Golden State to an 84-71 advantage at the break.
Together with Chris Mullin, Rick Barry, Wilt Chamberlain, Paul Arizin, and Stephen Curry, he is the sixth player in the history of the Warriors to score 15,000 points.
“Throughout the game, when I’m running with the second unit, I realised I might be more of a focal point to the offense,” Thompson explained.
Playing that role is enjoyable. The only thing I wanted to do was show coach [Steve Kerr] that I would react.
