This article was compiled from: The Athletic
Written by Marcus Thompson II
原标题：For Klay Thompson and the Warriors, the moment is perfect for Game 6 Klay
Beating the Lakers 121-106, the Warriors made it 2-3 on aggregate, and they are still in danger. G6 life and death battle, to save this season, the warriors need heroes, at this point in time, there seems to be no one more suitable than G6 soup. This term evokes memories of the glory past of Warriors fans, in which Thompson is like a mythical figure who makes the owner willingly kneel.
Thompson, still in the doldrums
Thompson is certainly eager to transform into G6 Soup, but there's no denying that his slump continues. Thompson's last outburst was already a G2 thing, and in that game, he scored 30 points and made 8 of 11 from three-point range, but in the next three games, Thompson shot 37 times and scored only 34 points in total.
Asked about Thompson's slump, Payton II said: "At least he's still great in other areas, like he's done some key defensive things, which is very important. "But the longer the downturn, the greater the expectations for his outburst." Warriors fans know Thompson all too well, and this is a guy who never bows his head.
The Warriors' season, and even this dynasty, has a life hanging in the balance. For Thompson, there is no more need to prove himself than now.
Beat your hometown team to create a new legend?
Thompson grew up supporting the Lakers, the team his father played for. He idolizes Kobe Bryant, and on Saturday he's heading back home, walking into the Lakers' arena for the most important game of the season in an attempt to become a hero for the Warriors. Even in the past 24 three-point shots, he only hit 8 shots.
The plot of the Western Conference semifinals G6 is waiting for Thompson to write it himself.
Of course, it is not as easy to stage the myth of G6 soup now as it used to be. Serious injuries have sidelined Thompson for two seasons, and he is now a 33-year-old player who doesn't move as fast as he did when he was at his peak.
From a realistic point of view, the Warriors may want to lower their expectations and don't expect monster-level G6 soup. If Thompson can play more efficiently and reduce the pressure on Curry, it will be very helpful to win.
Can G6 soup help teammates break out?
The real effective way for the Warriors to beat the Lakers is to break out en masse, run and attack from all angles. They have to hit three points, especially on the road. The G5 game proved that when the Warriors have enough players to step up, it can be very difficult for the Lakers to defend.
Just like Wiggins and Dreams that stood out in the last game. Wiggins' 25 points are his highest playoff points since G5 in the Finals, and his 18 shots are also the second-most in the playoffs this season. His impact on the inside is an important reason why the Warriors defeated the Lakers.
Setting the tone is chasing dreams. It's no coincidence that the Warriors won both games in this series, and Chasing Dream's number of shots was double-doubled. In the G5 game, Chase Dream scored 14 points in the first half, helping the Warriors quickly take the initiative.
The deterrent power of G6 soup can help teammates play better. And the output of his teammates can also allow Thompson to relax, get into his own rhythm, and then shoot more fluidly. In the past few games, the Lakers have been trying to disrupt Thompson's shooting, forcing Thompson to dribble on his own, and Thompson needs to calm down and avoid being disrupted by the Lakers' defense.
To grab seven, what is really needed is G6 bravery
The last G6 soup outbreak was on May 14, 2022. He hit 30 points on 8-of-14 three-pointers to help the Warriors eliminate the Grizzlies in the Western Conference semifinals. He domineeringly stretched out 6 fingers to announce the return of G6 soup!
Although Thompson failed to break out in G6 last season's Finals, scoring 12 points on 5-of-20 shooting, the Warriors still beat the Green Army to win the championship. In the first round against the Kings this year, G6 Tang also failed to break out, shooting 8-of-20 from the field and only 2-of-9 from three-point range.
For the Lakers' G6, it seems to be another opportunity to break out. But if Thompson isn't in good shape, don't try to be a G6 soup, maybe it's the right choice. Individual heroism is not the way to crack the Lakers' victory, and it turns out that only by relying on the outbreak of the team can there be a chance to continue the series.
"See you tomorrow, what we really need is the G6 Brave," Payton said.