Mavericks’ Klay Thompson ditches ‘ridiculous’ LeBron James after hitting milestone

Dallas Mavericks guard Klay Thompson continues to build his resume in his first season with his new team. He even achieved something LeBron James has not achieved in his career. in December, Thompson passed Reggie Miller on the all-time three-point list.

Since then, the accolades have grown, as he scored 16,000 points in a 112-101 loss to the Denver Nuggets. Despite the new accolade, it put things into perspective for the first-year Mavericks guard. He explained it to ClutchPoints’ Joey Mistretta the number is impressivebut there is an even more remarkable feat.

“It’s cool, but it makes you realize how ridiculous it is that LeBron (James) has 40,000,” Thompson said. “Funny. It’s crazy.”

While 16,000 may not be a lot for his career, he’s not being asked to score a handful of points every night. He was never asked to be the primary scoring option even with the Golden State Warriors. However, his elite shooting helped fuel one of the greatest dynasties the NBA has ever seen.

As an elite two-way player, his defense stood out. In addition, many have forgotten about his offense. for example, Thompson set a new NBA record with 14 three-pointers in 2018. Usually players try so much in a game, let alone make so much. His role is reduced, but he is capable of being a microwave shooter.

Mavericks’ Klay Thompson shows how hard it is to score

Again, 16,000 points is a great career stat, but when Thompson brought up James’ 40,000, it’s an anomaly. He has been in the league for 21 seasons and has never scored below 20 points per game in his career. Although he is a physically gifted athlete even at the age of 40, he has expanded his game.

Three-pointers increased, as did his perimeter game. James continues to attack the basket, but has been more efficient. He’s always relied on his skill, but not just bulldozed like he did in the 2010s. Furthermore, the bond between Thompson and James runs deep.

The two competed at the highest level in NBA Finals four consecutive seasons. From 2015-2018, it was a constant battle between James and Thompson. Mind you, this was the highlight of Thomson’s offensive game. He has proven to be one of the best shooting guards in the league.

Fast forward to 2024 and times have changed. Still, the 16,000 point milestone is quite an achievement. It may never reach 40,000, but it’s close to the halfway mark. It goes to show that scoring in the NBA is not as easy as outsiders make it out to be.