Not too long ago, on December 12, during a crucial loss to Phoenix, Thompson experienced the low point of his season when he was benched for the first time in his career. He kicked chairs, flung towels, and screamed at anyone nearby who dared to listen. Even though it was ugly, something ignited in his troubled mind.

Thompson has been shooting 50% from three on 11 attempts per game, averaging 25.7 points per game, since the Warriors’ game against the Los Angeles Clippers on December 14. In the six games that Thompson has played, Golden State is a net plus-17, and the Warriors have won five of them. He scored 28 points on Saturday night, including 11 in a row during a crucial two-minute stretch as the Warriors defeated the Portland Trail Blazers 126-106.

And now, riding a five-game winning streak, the Warriors (15-14), who are over. 500 for the first time in six weeks, take on the Denver Nuggets (21-10) on Christmas Day.

Coach Steve Kerr attributes Thompson’s efficiency during the hot stretch to his improved shot selection and willingness to make the extra pass. Call it a defense mechanism for his murderous instinct; Thompson believes his choice of shots hasn’t altered.

“I think I make a good shot every time I shoot the ball,” Thompson remarked. “After all these years, I feel like I can make every shot, but they seem to be going in more frequently over the last five or six games. I won’t let anyone tell me otherwise.” Not every shot, but any shot.

Whether he likes it or not, since that day in Phoenix, something has changed about his game. He no longer takes defenders off the dribble for a contested shot when teams send another man to guard him or put more pressure on him. When he senses pressure, he searches instinctively for the open player, frequently on an entry pass to the open man.

It’s not a coincidence that his patience has changed. Nor is his recent hot streak of scoring. Thompson has scored 30, 24, 28, 24, 20, and 28 points over his last six games after scoring at least 20 points in five of his first 22 games.

Steph Curry stated, “It’s a healthy ego and competitive spirit of knowing who you are as a player and responding when things don’t go your way.” We’ve done that our entire careers, and he’s demonstrated on occasion that sometimes you have to make adjustments, which he has done. Allow the game to find him and execute the simple play. We can be certain that he will always be able to shoot.

One thing that the Warriors had in common during their struggles—which included a six-game losing streak and four games below.500—was the absence of a reliable backup scorer. It was uncommon for anyone other than Curry to score 20 points in a game, and Kerr was under increasing pressure to overcome struggling veterans like Andrew Wiggins, Thompson, and Kevon Looney. When Thompson was benched in a pinch, their unwavering faith in their tried-and-true methods finally gave way.

The nine-man, all-inclusive rotation that has clicked, combining the roster’s youthful athleticism with veteran reliance, has been aided by Draymond Green’s indefinite suspension. With less reliance on a half-court offense, he has liberated other scorers with quicker pace changes and transitions. Thompson is a part of that.

However, Thompson is giving the opportunity to take advantage of the open space to Dario Saric, Jonathan Kuminga, Brandin Podziemski, Trayce Jackson-Davis, Looney, and others if that pressure materializes. Everyone is now joining in on the celebration of scoring.

Podziemski stated, “He’s playing well because he’s playing the right way.” “He’s had the attitude that if two people approach me, I know someone is available ever since the LA game. From there, I’ll let my teammates play four-on-three. He attracts so much attention and keeps us open a lot, so ever since he did that, it’s been easier for JK and I to take pictures. When Steph and he play well together, it opens things up for the other guys.