Klay Thompson Reaches 17,000 Career Points in Dominant Mavericks Win

Klay Thompson made a dramatic return from the bench, hitting back-to-back three-pointers within less than a minute to set up his latest historic achievement. At the 4:56 mark of the first quarter, Thompson sank a turnaround midrange jumper, marking his 17,000th career point. This milestone came during a lopsided 138-120 victory over the Utah Jazz.

This wasn’t the first time Thompson had celebrated a significant moment this week. Just two days earlier, he surpassed Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard for fourth on the NBA’s all-time 3-pointers list. Now, with this game, he officially added another thousand points to his growing legacy.

“It’s been awesome, especially when I shoot the ball well and we win. What a nice combo,” Thompson said about his remarkable week.

A Historic Performance from the Three-Point Line

From the start of the game, it was clear that Thompson and the Mavericks were heading for a successful night from beyond the arc. His third three-pointer of the first quarter was one of six total for the sharpshooter, who led his team in scoring for the second straight game with 23 points on 6 of 11 from downtown.

Mavericks coach Jason Kidd joked that the team would run out of game balls to hand Thompson after he collected two in consecutive games and several more since arriving in Dallas.

“We gave him another ball,” Kidd said. “Every time he does something, we win, so we’re just gonna have to keep that tradition going. But his career, future Hall of Fame, you can see the energy and the fun that he’s having with this group, and it’s carrying over to the others. We need that energy and we need that shooting.”

Team Effort Leads to Record-Breaking Quarter

The Mavericks scored 42 points in the first quarter, tying their second-highest amount scored in a quarter this season. After knocking down 19 three-pointers on Thursday, the Mavericks hit seven alone in the first 12 minutes of play. Overall, they connected on 18 of 41 from beyond the arc.

This success was due in part to the team’s ability to spread the ball around the court, leading to 36 assists—more than Thursday’s total of 33. Before the game, Jazz coach Will Hardy noted that the Mavericks’ focus on ball movement was one of the main differences when they played without star rookie Cooper Flagg.

“Cooper is obviously a focal point for them on the offensive side of the ball when he plays. Last game, they had us spinning around pretty good with a variety of guys playing dribble drive,” Hardy said. “They move the ball great. They move the ball well when Cooper plays, but it felt like a little bit more equal opportunity to start the possession.”

Injuries and Roster Adjustments

The Mavericks played their third game of the season without Flagg, who missed his second consecutive game due to a left ankle sprain. By missing Saturday’s game, Flagg will enter Monday’s road game against the New York Knicks with four full days of rest, setting the stage for what could be his Madison Square Garden debut on Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

Flagg wasn’t the only rotation player missing on Saturday. PJ Washington was initially listed as probable to return from a right ankle injury but was ruled out due to personal reasons. Daniel Gafford and D’Angelo Russell (illness) were also absent, joining the team’s long list of usual inactives.

Thompson’s Confidence and Future Plans

Thompson, who entered the game needing just eight points to reach the 17,000-point mark, also spoke about his ability to quickly find a rhythm from beyond the arc.

“I got in one of those heaters at the end of the second quarter, and it felt great,” he said. “I’m going to carry that same flow into New York City.”

Although Thompson didn’t score in the second half, his teammates didn’t need him to because they held a healthy double-digit lead for most of the game.

Brandon Williams had an efficient game with 22 points, four rebounds, and five assists on 8 of 13 shooting, complementing Thompson. Max Christie, who returned from a two-game absence due to illness, also contributed with 22 points.

Season Series and Conference Standings

Both teams finished the season series with two wins each on their home court. By evening the series against the 13th-place Jazz, the 12th-place Mavericks gained a lead of 2½ games ahead in the Western Conference standings.

The Mavericks will now try to take their recent three-point shooting success on the road against the Knicks after significant improvement from beyond the arc in consecutive showings against the Jazz.