DALLAS — Klay Thompson wore No. 11 in his 13-year run with the Golden State Warriors. After a sign-and-trade sent him from California to Texas this past summer, Thompson switched to No. 31.
No. 31 was significant to Thompson for a few reasons. A Dallas Maverick had not worn it since Jason Terry, the sparkplug scoring guard who helped the franchise win a championship in 2011.
Another reason Thompson made the change: Reggie Miller, a player Thompson idolized as a kid, wore No. 31 in his almost two-decade tenure with the Indiana Pacers.
On Wednesday, Thompson passed Miller for fifth on the NBA’s all-time 3-pointers made list. Thompson came into Dallas’ Christmas Day game against the Minnesota Timberwolves needing three 3s to move ahead of Miller. Thompson connected on his third triple of the game in the third quarter.
“I watched so much footage of Reggie coming off screens as a teenager,” Thompson said at Mavericks media day in September. “Especially his ability to make game-winning shots. That is the most inspiring thing to see as a shooter. He had no fear, whether he made or missed the shot. He was going to die by it.”
With his third 3-pointer Wednesday, Thompson now has 2,561 3-point makes across 14 NBA seasons. Three of the four names ahead of him on the all-time made 3s list are still playing.
Steph Curry, Thompson’s former teammate, is first on that list, where he will remain for a long time. Curry (3,841) is more than 800 3-pointers ahead of James Harden (3,022), who is second. Ray Allen (2,973) is third. Milwaukee Bucks guard Damian Lillard (2,683) is fourth.
Thompson entered Wednesday’s game shooting 39.1 percent from 3 on nearly eight attempts per game. He has made multiple 3s in eight consecutive games.
(Top photo: Cary Edmondson / Imagn Images)
