Allowing 37 points to an entire team over a single quarter in an NBA game is pretty awful, as it means one (or both) of two things happened: A) your defense was hot garbage, or B) the other team just couldn’t miss. It’s often a recipe for disaster, considering many teams have a hard time breaking 50 for a single half. Now, how about allowing 37 points in a single quarter to one guy? Well, you might as well just call the game right there. That’s probably what should have happened Friday night in Oakland, after Klay Thompson single-handedly destroyed any hope the Sacramento Kings had of upsetting the Golden State Warriors.
The Warriors and Kings were tied 58-58 at the 9:50 mark of the third quarter when Thompson hit a jumper beneath the free throw line for a two-point lead. Nine minutes (and change) and thirty-five Klay Thompson-points later, the Warriors led 97-73 — essentially tearing the soul out of the Kings. Thompson’s outburst topped Carmelo Anthony and George Gervin’s record for most points scored in a single quarter in an NBA game (both notched 33, in 2008 and 1978, respectively). Not only that, Thompson made 11 three-pointers, making him only the second player in NBA history to hit 10 or more three-pointers in a 50-point game AND dish out five assists. The other guy? Well…
Klay Thompson is the second player in NBA history with at least 50 points, 10 3’s and five assists in a game. The other is Steph Curry.
— Tim Reynolds (@ByTimReynolds) January 24, 2015
So, uh, yeah. That’s a scary-ass back court. Thompson finished his historic quarter a perfect 13-for-13 from the field, including 9-for-9 from three-point range (he was 2-for-2 from the free throw line). He had 50 points heading into the fourth quarter, and Steve Kerr sent him back out to etch his name in history with a 60-burger, but could only muster up a couple free throws and he was eventually pulled for the rest of the game. The best part? There was a plethora of Bay Area celebs on hand to witness Klay’s achievement, including Too Short, E-40 and the immortal Reggie Jackson:
[YouTube, photo: Noah Graham/Getty Images]
