Klay Thompson's forgotten Mavericks promise finally reappears at perfect time

Last summer, the Dallas Mavericks lost in five games to the Boston Celtics in the NBA Finals.

Dallas went on a magical run through the Western Conference playoffs which included series wins over the LA Clippers, Oklahoma City Thunder, and Minnesota Timberwolves, but their run came up short against Boston. Their 3-point shooting ran out on them, as they shot 31.4 percent from three in that series, and they couldn't keep up with the firepower of the Celtics.

Quickly after the series ended, it was clear that the Mavericks wanted to add more 3-point shooting, and they went out and signed Klay Thompson to a three-year deal early on into free agency. Thompson is one of the greatest shooters of all time, and fans rejoiced that he chose the Mavericks over the Los Angeles Lakers in free agency. Thompson signing with Dallas signaled that they had officially become an attractive free agent destination, even for coveted star players, and that was a major shift from what Mavs fans were used to.

Nico Harrison believed that the Mavs were "a Klay Thompson away" from winning the NBA Finals last season, and Thompson showed why Harrison could have been exactly right with that take on Thursday night at the TD Garden.

Klay Thompson proves he was the 'missing' piece for Dallas

In Dallas' game against Boston, Thompson finished with 25 points, three rebounds, and four assists while shooting 11-17 from the field and 3-6 from downtown. Thompson's performance early in this game was one of the biggest heaters he's been on since he joined the Mavs, and he couldn't be stopped.

In the first half, Thompson finished with 23 points and two assists while shooting 10-13 from the field and 3-5 from downtown. He was drilling threes off the catch, hitting contested mid-range jumpers off the dribble, and getting to the basket and into the paint when needed with ease. Thompson's off-ball movement was outstanding, and he was playing so well that the Celtics were sending double teams his way.

These are the types of performances that make Thompson invaluable to this Mavericks team, and he proved that he can go off at any time. When Jason Kidd emphasizes getting Thompson involved early in games, it almost always pays off, and that point was further proven against the Celtics.

Before Thompson signed with Dallas, he envisioned himself playing for them and imagined how he would fit in. He watched the Mavericks throughout their playoff run and stated that he believed he could be the "missing piece" for Dallas, and in that game against Boston, he illustrated that beautifully. He also backed up Harrison's bold statement against Boston, and without his hot start to that game, who knows what would have happened.

Thompson is impossible to stop when he is fully locked in, and his dominant showing against Boston illustrated how deadly he could have been in last year's Finals and being that "missing piece." Even Kyrie Irving noted how "comfortable" Thompson is playing in Boston after the game, and Thompson took up some big leadership responsibilities during game day which included helping everyone stay focused during shootaround and stay locked in.

This performance helped give Thompson plenty of momentum heading into the weekend, and his masterclass against Boston couldn't have come at a better time. Anthony Davis is set to make his Mavericks debut on Saturday against the Houston Rockets, and a Thompson heater like this is poised to make Davis' debut even sweeter.

Thompson loves playing with solid big men, and the Davis acquisition could unlock both of their games way more than expected. Dribble handoffs between the two are going to open up the game for everyone, and this new-look Mavericks squad could look better than anyone expects.