Klay Thompson is no stranger to the bright lights.
Not only has the sharpshooter played a key role in all four of Golden State's championship runs over the last decade, but he's also shown up time and time again when the Warriors have needed him the most.
Specifically, Thompson is best known for his outbursts when the Warriors have either been up or down 3-2 in a series. Perhaps the most memorable game of his career came in a Game 6, and he's since earned the nickname "Game 6 Klay" for his heroics in those situations.
Here's the story behind "Game 6 Klay" and whether the Warriors star actually plays better in Game 6s.
MORE: Full schedule and updated scores for Warriors vs. Kings
What is 'Game 6 Klay'?
After setting a new NBA record with 73 wins during the regular season and making light work of the Rockets and Trail Blazers in the first two rounds of the playoffs, the No. 1-seeded Warriors found themselves on the brink of elimination against the No. 3-seeded Thunder in the 2016 Western Conference Finals.
Down 3-1 in the series, the Warriors were able to keep their season alive with a 120-111 victory on their home court in Game 5, led by 31 points from Stephen Curry and 27 points from Thompson. That set the stage for a Game 6 in Oklahoma City and one of the most iconic performances in NBA history.
With Golden State's season on the line, Thompson exploded for 41 points while knocking down 11 3-pointers, setting a playoff record that has since been broken by Trail Blazers star Damian Lillard.
Thompson saved his best for last by scoring 19 points in the fourth quarter to overcome an eight-point deficit.
Many of the shots Thompson hit were, uh, tough.
"That was crazy. That was just nuts, bro. That was insane," former Thunder center Steven Adams said. "Andre Roberson was legit fouling him, and he was just cashing out everything, just couldn't miss. It was just amazing."
The Warriors went on to defeat the Thunder in Game 7 to advance to the Finals. It was only the 10th time in NBA history that a team had overcome a 3-1 deficit in the playoffs.
(The Warriors were on the other end of a 3-1 comeback in the Finals, but that's a story for a different day.)
What does Klay Thompson average in Game 6?
Does Thompson actually play better in Game 6? His numbers would suggest so.
Thompson has played a total of 13 Game 6s to this point of his career. His averages in those games: 20.0 points on 42.8 percent shooting from the field and 47.7 percent from 3-point range.
He has a higher scoring average in Game 5s, but his 3-point percentage in Game 6s is unmatched.
| Game | Points per game | FG% | 3PT% |
| 1 | 18.9 | 42.5 | 37.8 |
| 2 | 19.3 | 44.4 | 39.6 |
| 3 | 18.7 | 42.2 | 36.6 |
| 4 | 18.0 | 44.2 | 41.9 |
| 5 | 22.2 | 49.3 | 46.1 |
| 6 | 20.0 | 42.8 | 47.7 |
| 7 | 17.3 | 41.7 | 39.4 |
Also, Thompson has a long highlight reel of his best "Game 6 Klay" moments — and no, they're not all from the Thunder game.
Does Klay Thompson believe in 'Game 6 Klay'?
According to Draymond Green, who has been teammates with Thompson for 11 seasons, he does.
"'Game 6 Klay' is still 'Game 6 Klay,'" Green explained on his podcast in 2022. "'Game 6 Klay' last time playing in the playoffs before this year was Game 6, and he was cooking the Toronto Raptors. 'Game 6 Klay' showed up again.
"I think one of the beautiful things about 'Game 6 Klay' is that obviously became this narrative, like this thing people say. Klay really believes that now. Like, in his head he's like, 'It's Game 6. Of course I'm going to do this. Are you crazy?' And like, he approaches the game like that, and it's one of the most incredible things to watch.
"It shows you how powerful the mind is, like for those out there that just doesn't understand how powerful your thoughts are, how powerful your beliefs are, the mind is a very powerful thing. And he believes 'Game 6 Klay' is a real thing, and guess what, if 'Killa Klay' believes it, then I believe it."
To be honest, there's no reason we shouldn't all believe in it at this point.
