Golden State Warriors marksman Klay Thompson was on a different level Monday night after scoring 60 points in just three quarters to tow the Warriors into a 142-106 rout of the Indiana Pacers at the Oracle Arena.
People may assume that Thompson hogged the ball but the Warriors guard only played for 29 minutes and held the ball for an astounding 90 seconds. Thompson, who shot the ball 33 times, was efficient throughout the game and drained 21 shots for an impressive 63.6 percent from the field. He also buried eight treys in his 14 attempts.
What is more impressive in his 60-point game is that he did it in just three quarters after not playing a single minute in the final frame.
According to a report by ESPN, the son of Los Angeles Lakers legend Mychal Thompson was on pace for a 100-point game after averaging 2.07 points per minute in the 29 minutes he played. Wilt Chamberlain, the only player to reach the 100-point mark in the league, scored 2.08 points per minute when he suited up for the Warriors against the New York Knicks in a 1965 NBA game. 'The Big Dipper's record stands tall until today.
This is not the first time Thompson chalked up big numbers in a game. In their title run two years ago, Thompson caught fire for 37 points in a single quarter against the Sacramento Kings in a regular season game in January 2015. His 37 points in the third quarter broke George "The Iceman" Gervin's record of 33 points in a single quarter.
In a report by USA Today, Thompson had a better scoring pace than Lakers legend Kobe Bryant when he scored 81 points against the Toronto Raptors in 2006. Thompson's 2.07 points per minute eclipsed 'The Black Mamba's 1.98 points per minute in the second-best scoring output in NBA history.
Despite the arrival of former MVP Kevin Durant in the Warriors, Thompson is still averaging 22.5 points, 3.5 boards and 2.1 assists in 21 games this season. Golden State leads the league with an 18-3 record.