Klay Thompson's return to Chase Center on November 12 was an incredible one. The veteran sharpshooter hit six threes and had 22 points on the night, only for long-time Golden State Warriors teammates Stephen Curry and Draymond Green to ruin the return as the hosts prevailed 120-117.
Since then the fortunes of both teams have been drastically different. The Warriors have struggled in losing seven of their past nine games, while Thompson's Dallas Mavericks have won 11 of their past 13 games despite the 5x All-Star having yet to hit his best form.
Now following Golden State's elimination from the NBA Cup on Wednesday, the two teams are scheduled to meet again at Chase Center on Sunday. On paper it's another difficult matchup given the Mavericks recent form, but perhaps another battle with Thompson is exactly what the Warriors need in order to rediscover their best.
Could Klay Thompson's presence spark the Warriors to find their best?
There was an intensity about that matchup on November 12 that went far beyond simply being the first NBA Cup game. Not only was Thompson determined to return in fine fashion, but it also brought an aggressiveness from his former splash brother that arguably hasn't been seen since.
Curry had 37 points on 14-of-27 shooting in the first matchup, including 12 points in the final three and a half minutes after the Mavericks had taken a six-point lead. It was arguably the most recent signature performance from the 2x MVP, having scored more than 24 points just three times in his 11 games since.
Across Golden State's 2-7 stretch over the last nine games, Curry has averaged 23 points on less than 40% shooting from the floor. In fact, the 36-year-old has had only one game shooting above 50% since that first meeting with the Mavericks.
Unsurprisingly, Curry's underwhelming form has significantly hindered the Warrior offense during the recent span. Over the last nine games, the Warriors rank 28th in offensive rating and 29th in fourth-quarter offense where they've also surrendered leads in five of the seven losses.
Golden State need to find a consistent offensive rhythm before they slip down the standings even more. Perhaps another matchup against Thompson will spark the sort of concentration and determination to make that happen, even if there isn't the same level of celebration or emotion that emanated throughout all that witnessed that initial special return.
