More than an hour before the Warriors’ 136-100 rout Tuesday night of San Antonio, Klay Thompson stepped to the corner of the three-point arc. This is the spot on the court most responsible for the three-time All-Star’s reputation as arguably the best shooter in NBA history not named Stephen Curry.
During that pregame drill, with Thompson facing a defender made of air, a curious thing happened: He missed five straight three-pointers. Thompson repeated his textbook shooting form — balanced frame, minimal follow-through, relaxed shoulders, spread fingers — again and again, only for the ball to clang off the rim.