Klay Thompson was trapped in basketball purgatory in Luka, Mavs battle

Klay poured in 22 points but could only watch in horror as his Mavericks took the loss to Luka’s Lakers, only two days after the Warriors smacked Dallas around.

Not gonna lie, I did not watch the Golden State Warriors terrorize the hapless Charlotte Hornets live last night. Instead I checked in out the emotionally charged contest between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Dallas Mavericks.

And I couldn’t help but feel bad for our former Dub turned Mav, Klay Thompson.

Tuesday night’s 107-99 loss to the Lakers wasn’t just another mark in the loss column; it was watching me watching Klay’s basketball life flash before my eyes in real time. There he was, standing on the court at Crypto.com Arena, watching Luka Doncic—HIS teammate just three weeks ago—dropping a triple-double in purple and gold like he’d been there his whole career.

The basketball gods have a twisted sense of humor, don’t they? For years, Klay battled LeBron James in Finals after Finals, launching threes over his outstretched arms with Steph and Draymond beside him. Now? Klay’s watching King James high-five Luka after an assist while Klay is wearing a Mavs jersey that may still feel foreign against his skin.

Look, I’ve covered some awkward basketball moments in my day, but this Lakers-Mavs matchup had all the emotional discomfort of a high school reunion where your ex shows up with your former best friend. Let’s set the scene: Crypto.com Arena, pulsing with energy as Lakers fans chanted “Thank you, Nico!” at Mavs GM Nico Harrison. The basketball gods aren’t just laughing at this point; they’re rolling on the floor with tears streaming down their faces.

Most fascinating was watching Bron operate as the elder statesman, scoring 16 of his 27 points in the fourth quarter, making sure Doncic wouldn’t lose this emotionally charged reunion. The same closing ability that tormented the Warriors in those classic Finals matchups now serves as the safety net for Luka’s transition.

For Klay’s part, he put up 22 points, and tried to keep the Mavericks afloat alongside Kyrie’s 35. But it’s been an adjustment period with new responsibilities and a team still figuring out its identity. Three weeks ago, Klay was the third option behind Luka and Kyrie in what looked like a contender. Now? He’s trying to help fill the Luka-sized void while watching the Western Conference landscape shift beneath his feet.

The timing is especially cruel after Sunday’s beatdown from the Warriors. Klay’s former team—where he was a SPLASH BRO for 11 seasons—absolutely dismantled Dallas by 24 points. Steph dancing, Podziemski locking down Kyrie, the Chase Center roaring… except this time for Klay’s demise. Now they’ve dropped two straight while both the Lakers and Warriors surge forward. The Warriors are 6-1 since adding Butler Meanwhile, the Mavs are treading water post-Luka trade, facing the raw reality that their ceiling might have fundamentally changed.

There’s irony in watching LeBron and Luka figuring things out together while Klay still trying to find my rhythm with Kyrie. The NBA’s circle of life keeps spinning, only this time I’m watching from an alternate universe.

This was supposed to be the younger Splash Bro’s chance to prove he could thrive outside the Warriors ecosystem. Instead, he’s navigating a season that’s beginning to feel like a basketball twilight zone. Every game matters as playoff positioning tightens, but there’s that strange sensation of watching two teams Klay’s been deeply connected to potentially thriving without him in their equation.

Basketball is a business—I know this. But some nights, like watching a former franchise cornerstone drop a triple-double against you while wearing the jersey of your greatest rival… well, those nights make you question if the basketball gods are just messing with you for sport.

This wasn’t just about one game either. The Mavs are now caught in a perfect storm of basketball misfortune. Just two days before facing the Lakers, they suffered a humiliating 126-102 beatdown from (you guessed it) the Warriors, who are suddenly surging with Jimmy Butler III in the lineup while Dallas tries to figure out what identity even exists post-Luka. The numbers paint a brutal picture: Dallas sits at 31-28, clinging to the 9th seed while both the Lakers (35-21) and Warriors (31-27) are trending upward. The Dubs have won four straight, soaking in all the good vibes of the All-Star weekend in the Bay Area.

If there’s a silver lining for Dallas, it’s that the bandaid has been ripped off. No more wondering how Luka will look against his former team. No more anticipation of the emotional rollercoaster.

But for Klay specifically, these past few days have been nothing short of a basketball version of “The Twilight Zone.” First watching Steph Curry dance all over his new team on Sunday, then bearing witness as LeBron and Luka, a pairing that represents both his past rival and his recent teammate, start building chemistry that could terrorize the Western Conference for years to come.