Dub Hub: Klay Thompson and Kevon Looney start 2023 off with a bang

Rounding up all the Warriors and NBA news from around the web. 

Good Morning Dub Nation,

The Golden State Warriors kicked off 2023 with a bang on Monday night. The team won their fifth-consecutive game in dramatic fashion after Kevon Looney hit the game-winning put back shot in double overtime to give the Warriors the 143-141 win against the Atlanta Hawks.

Looney finished the night with a double-double of 14 points and a massive 20 rebounds in 32 minutes of play. Although he will never get the attention he deserves for what he means to the Warriors, Looney remains invaluable as he is the ultimate team player who consistently performs whatever the team needs of him at a high level.

Although several players on the Warriors came up big in this one, none were more important than Klay Thompson who led the team with 54 points — the fourth 50-point game of his career and first since suffering his two major leg injuries. As Dub Nation knows well, once Thompson gets going, it’s almost impossible to slow him down as he willed the team with clutch shot after clutch shot down the stretch.

Overall, it was yet another gritty performance for a Golden State team that continues to fight through adversity whenever they encounter it. Whether it was the six players ruled out prior to last night’s game or the Hawks — at one point in the second half — shooting 70% from the field including 7-of-9 from deep, the Warriors kept fighting. The team is beginning to establish an identity for themselves as they continue to push through any obstacles placed in front of them.

Here are the rest of today’s stories:

In case you missed it from Golden State of Mind:

• Klay Thompson deserves more of everyone’s faith
• Player grades: Warriors vs. Hawks
• Klay Thompson scores 54 in Warriors wild double-overtime victory over Hawks
• This date in Warriors history: Kelenna Azubuike debuts
• Warriors vs. Hawks injury report: 6 Golden State players listed out

Other Warriors News:

• Warriors get 54 from Klay Thompson in wild double OT win to punctuate improbable five-game win streak (The Athletic)
• Klay Thompson: ‘Going to embrace the heck out of’ 54-point night (ESPN)
• Klay Thompson sends condolences to Damar Hamlin after scary situation (NBC Sports Bay Area)
• It’s too bad the Golden State Warriors can’t play all their games at home (ESPN)
• WATCH: Rare Video of Steph Curry Trash Talking Ja Morant (Sports Illustrated)

NBA News:

• Cavs’ Donovan Mitchell scores franchise-record 71 points in OT win (ESPN)
• Zion Williamson exits Pelicans’ loss early with hamstring strain (ESPN)
• Bent rim causes 35-minute delay as Nuggets beat Celtics (ESPN)
• Luka Doncic, Kristaps Porzingis named NBA Players of the Week (NBA)
• Hakeem Olajuwon reacts to NBA renaming Defensive Player of the Year Award after him (Yahoo Sports)