Klay Thompson teases 'another level' he’s ready to unlock for Mavericks

Entering the holiday season, the Dallas Mavericks had a 2-2 Christmas Day record since 2020. Their record fell below .500 on Wednesday when Dallas lost their 2024 Christmas match 105-99 to the Minnesota Timberwolves. The team entered the fourth quarter down 90-68. They outscored Minnesota 31-15 in the final 12 minutes, but it would not be enough as Dallas failed to complete the comeback.

To make things worse, All-Star Luka Doncic suffered a left calf strain that forced him to miss the entire second half. Doncic will now miss the next 30 days, as the team will re-evaluate his status at the end of January. The good news is, Dallas is 6-2 without Doncic this season. Bad news, the Mavs are in the middle of a tight Western Conference, and every win matters.

However, not everything was negative this holiday season for Dallas. Sharpshooter Klay Thompson passed Reggie Miller for fifth all-time on the 3-pointers made list. This checks off one of the many goals Thompson set for himself when he arrived in Dallas.

Thompson is fired up to take his game to 'another level' in 2025

Thompson, though, is not done with his goals for himself. At the beginning of the season, Thompson stated that it would take him around 30 games to fit into Dallas' system. He stayed true to the statement, and he continues to shine in the Mavs' offense and looks more comfortable every game. Thompson is averaging 16.2 points per game and shooting 43.7 percent from downtown in December.

It seems Thompson may not be done with his checklist. Last week, he spoke about his stretch of high-caliber games. He explained that with each game, he continues to become more acquainted with Dallas' offense. Thompson also stated that the new year hasn't even hit yet, meaning there's "another level" for him to reach, and he's excited about what's to come.

Thompson could be alluding to his success in January. He has been known to play exceptionally well in January, and Mavs fans should be excited about his potenial next step. Last season, he averaged 20 points per game and shot 40.5 percent from the 3-point line in January. During the 2022-23 season, Thompson exploded in January. He averaged 27 points point per game and shot 43.1 percent from behind the arc.

In January, he also achieved some of his best accomplishments. Two years ago, he scored his second-highest points in a game with 54 points on January 2. In January 2019, Thompson set an NBA record by making 10 consecutive 3-pointers. There is something about the new year that gets Thompson going.

The Mavs will need Thompson to hold true to his statement of hitting "another level' moving forward. As mentioned, the team will be without Doncic for an extended period. Their schedule in January includes multiple matchups against the Denver Nuggets and Oklahoma City Thunder, as well as the 2024 champion Boston Celtics. Dallas also has another match against the Timberwolves on January 22.

This is the exact reason Dallas brought in Thompson. The team needed a third scorer to pair alongside Doncic and Kyrie Irving. Thompson fits the mold perfectly. He is one of the top shooters in the league, and his game has improved significantly over the last month or so.

If Thompson can continue improving his game, then Irving and the Dallas Mavericks should be just fine. The question will be: How many wins can Dallas produce with Doncic sidelined for at least a month?

Klay Thompson and the Dallas Mavericks will look to get back to their winning ways against the Phoenix Suns on Friday.