"He hasn't gone anywhere" - Cooper Flagg on Klay Thompson's fourth-quarter explosion vs. Clippers

Klay Thompson has had a tough stretch. Still searching for his shot, he also got involved in an altercation with Ja Morant and with Miami Heat two-way player Myron Gardner two days later, with Morant calling him a "bum" and Gardner saying he's "trash."

But after a Thanksgiving dinner with his parents — catered by Megan Thee Stallion — Thompson returned on Saturday against the Los Angeles Clippers and caught fire, looking every bit like the Klay of old.

"We had some guys come alive," said the Dallas Mavericks' prized rookie Cooper Flagg, who led the team with a career-high 35 points. "Obviously, Klay down the stretch in that fourth quarter, just came alive. I mean, he showed he's Klay Thompson. He hasn't gone anywhere. He's consistent with his work, and that's what happened."

Thompson shone in the fourth quarter

Like Thompson, Flagg had been struggling to start the season for the Mavericks. His issues, however, stemmed from being thrust into the starting point guard role by head coach Jason Kidd.

With Kidd now starting Brandon Williams or Ryan Nembhard at the one spot, Flagg has regained his confidence, and on Saturday night, it was on full display as he became the youngest player in NBA history to drop 35+ points in a game at 18 years and 343 days old.

Yet, Thompson was able to (somewhat) steal the show.

He scored 17 fourth-quarter points while going 6-for-8 from the floor, including 4-for-6 from 3-point distance. His last three of the game came at the 1:51 mark, and it gave the Mavericks the lead for good at 104-103.

Thompson finished with 23 points on 6-for-10 from 3-point shooting and 8-for-13 field goal shooting in 26 minutes off the bench. It was his best fourth-quarter performance since 2023.

Bouncing back?

Thompson and Flagg stepping up against the Clippers on Saturday night was just what the Mavs needed after Anthony Davis sat out the second of a back-to-back schedule as part of his recovery protocol.

Injuries have played a significant role in Dallas' struggles this season, with Kyrie Irving still being out. However, as Thompson said last month, this shouldn't be an excuse for their poor showing.

"No, no," he told The Dallas Morning News about blaming their poor start. "Saying something like that would be an incredible copout. We've gotta take ownership of the product out there. We can all be better, especially myself."

It took a while to get his touch back, but Thompson is shooting much better lately. He is shooting just 32.9 percent from 3-point distance this season. However, in his last 10 games, that number has increased to 36.6 percent and has risen further to 48.6 percent in his last four games.

Thompson might be on a hot streak. Or maybe he just isn't "washed" yet.

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This story was originally published by Basketball Network on Nov 30, 2025, where it first appeared in the Latest News section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.