‘It Doesn’t Count’ — Klay Thompson Gets Defiant As Nightmarish Preseason Fuels Fears of Heat Sharpshooter’s Further Decline
· Yahoo Sports
Klay Thompson was ice cold in his first preseason with the Miami Heat, but the four-time NBA champion isn’t fazed by his shooting struggles heading into the 2026-27 regular season.
Speaking after Sunday’s practice at Kaseya Center, Thompson maintained that he expects to shoot at his usual level once the games “count,” brushing aside concerns about being too far over the hill entering his age-36 campaign.
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Heat coach Erik Spoelstra also voiced his confidence in the veteran shooting guard as anticipation builds for Wednesday’s season opener against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Klay Thompson Leans on His Track Record As Shooting Concerns Mount
Brought in over the offseason to help create space around Heat stars Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bam Adebayo on Miami’s revamped roster, Thompson looked out of sorts throughout the preseason, shooting 7-for-26 overall (26.9%) and 3-for-20 from 3-point range (15.0%).
It was a small sample size, as Thompson appeared in four of Miami’s five exhibition contests and never played into the second half of any of them as the Heat went 3-2. Still, his shooting blunders went viral on social media, fueling ridicule.
When asked about his slow start, Thompson embraced the uncomfortable question.
“Well, luckily, I have a blank slate. The regular season starts Wednesday, and [preseason] doesn’t count,” Thompson said. “So, for me, I wasn’t too concerned with how I shot the ball. It was more about my wind, my condition, and playing good defense. There’s still things I can get much better at, and just being out there every night.
“I’m not worried about that. Played this game long enough to know you’re gonna have great days; you’re gonna have bad days. Just do the work and stay consistent, and I’ll shoot my career averages.”
Thompson, who ranks fourth in NBA history with 2,899 made triples, was candid about how his past seasons have started:
“I think some years it’s been slow, but some years I’ve shot like mid-40% from 3 on high volume.”
His career numbers support his point about slow starts. According to the Miami Herald, October has consistently been the five-time All-Star’s worst month from beyond the arc. Thompson has shot 34.5% from 3-point range across 46 career games in October. That figure rises to 39.8% in November and 42.9% in January.
The new surroundings play a key role, too. Thompson said the preseason is for figuring out where he’s most efficient within Miami’s system. He called that process especially important when a player is acclimating to a new team.
Spoelstra, for his part, saw plenty beyond the misses.
“I feel really good about what he’s providing for us,” Spoelstra said. “First, that gravity that I’ve talked about that is well earned over the course of his entire career. They’re going to defend him a certain way. And then the last couple games, I thought we’ve gotten him some really good looks. And shooters will all go through that.
“He’s still getting his legs under him. He’ll be just fine. Actually, I’m really encouraged by all the other things he’s doing for us outside the 3-point shooting.”
Skeptics can point to Thompson’s struggles last season with the Dallas Mavericks, when he was demoted to a bench role and posted career lows in points per game (11.7), field-goal percentage (39.3%), and 3-point shooting percentage (38.3%).
Still, if Thompson can get closer to 40% from deep while being passable on defense, his two-year, $11.5 million contract could quickly become a bargain for Miami.
This article originally appeared on Pro Football Network.