Heat (and Klay Thompson) not worried Thompson’s preseason shooting numbers: ‘The shots will fall’
The Miami Heat added future Hall of Fame guard Klay Thompson in the offseason to make three-point shots. But in the preseason, Thompson didn’t make many threes.
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Thompson, who signed with the Heat after reaching a buyout agreement with the Dallas Mavericks this past offseason, closed the preseason with a total of 17 points on rough 7-of-26 (26.9%) shooting from the field and 3-of-20 (15%) shooting from three-point range in four appearances. He also didn’t attempt a free throw this preseason.
But the Heat isn’t worried.
“I feel really good about what he’s providing for us,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said after Sunday’s practice at Kaseya Center when asked about Thompson’s preseason three-point shooting struggles. “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.”
Thompson, 36, isn’t worried either.
“The shots will fall,” Thompson said, with the Heat preparing to open the regular season on Wednesday against the Minnesota Timberwolves in Miami. “I’m not worried about that. I’ve played this game long enough to know you’re going to have great days, you’re going to have bad days. Just do the work and stay consistent, and I’ll shoot my career averages.”
After all, Thompson is one of the best three-point shooters in NBA history. He ranks fourth in NBA history in all-time threes made (2,899) behind only No. 3 Ray Allen (2,973), No. 2 James Harden (3,390) and No. 1 Stephen Curry (4,248).
Thompson shot 38.3% on 7.6 three-point attempts last regular season with the Mavericks. Among the 32 players in the NBA who took seven or more threes per game last regular season, Thompson posted the 11th-best three-point percentage.
Even while other areas of his game are diminished after tearing his ACL in 2019 and then rupturing his Achilles in 2020, Thompson has shot a solid 38.7% on 8.1 three-point attempts per game across the last three regular seasons.
Thompson is still a very willing three-point shooter, too. Among the 304 players who appeared in at least 50 games last regular season, Thompson ranked second in the NBA with 15.9 three-point attempts per 100 possessions behind only LaMelo Ball’s 17.6 three-point attempts per 100 possessions.
Thompson is also still a quality spot-up shooter. Thompson shot 38.3% on 5.6 catch-and-shoot three-point attempts per game last regular season and 42.4% on 5.7 catch-and-shoot three-point attempts per game during the 2024-25 regular season.
The threat of Thompson’s all-time great three-point shooting is why he’s expected to be the Heat’s starting shooting guard on opening night. Thompson’s outside shooting will be important in helping create space for the Heat’s leading duo of Bam Adebayo and Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Also, Thompson has a history of starting slow.
During his NBA career, Thompson’s worst three-point shooting has come in October. He has made just 34.5% of his threes in 46 regular-season games in October during his career.
That number has gone up to 39.8% in November, 40% in December, 42.9% in January, 41.5% in February, 41.2% in March and 42% in April.
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“I’ve just played so long,” Thompson said. “You can analyze every season. Every season is different. That’s why preseason is so important, to get your legs under you.”
And the good thing for Thompson is preseason stats don’t count. He’ll get a fresh start when the Heat opens the regular season on Wednesday.
“Luckily, I have a blank slate when the regular season starts Wednesday, and it doesn’t count,” Thompson said of his preseason shooting slump. “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.”
Getting healthier
Every Heat player practiced on Sunday. That includes Adebayo (right groin tightness), Pelle Larsson (illness) and Dru Smith (right calf strain), who all missed time this preseason with ailments.
Adebayo and Larsson both expect to be ready to play in Wednesday’s regular season opener.
“Just play it smart,” Adebayo said of missing the Heat’s final two preseason games. “Obviously, I want to be out there. But it’s one of those things where they tried to save me from myself. Other than that, I should be ready to go Wednesday.”
Larsson, who has been dealing with an illness for nearly two weeks, is also ramping up for Wednesday’s opener.
“That’s the plan right now,” Larsson said of playing Wednesday. “That’s how we’ve been setting it up, kind of planning it out not to go too fast is just don’t rush for the last preseason game. Just focus on the regular season.”
But Smith was less sure about being available for the start of the regular season. Smith missed the entire preseason after straining his calf during training camp.
“Today was my first day jumping into some things,” Smith said following Sunday’s practice. “So we’re just going to see how it responds, that kind of thing. I don’t want to overdo it, so slowly try to get back to as close to live as I can.”
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