Nothin' But Nets
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Brooklyn Nets: Jason Kidd Nets vs Stephen Curry Warriors

By Darnell Gilet

Jun 16, 2016; Cleveland, OH, USA; Golden State Warriors guard Klay Thompson (11) passes the ball as Cleveland Cavaliers forward Richard Jefferson (24) and center Tristan Thompson (13) defend in the first quarter in game six of the NBA Finals at Quicken Loans Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports
Jun 16, 2016; Cleveland, OH, USA; Golden State Warriors guard Klay Thompson (11) passes the ball as Cleveland Cavaliers forward Richard Jefferson (24) and center Tristan Thompson (13) defend in the first quarter in game six of the NBA Finals at Quicken Loans Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports /
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SHOOTING GUARD

May 30, 2016; Oakland, CA, USA; Golden State Warriors guard Klay Thompson (11) celebrates after making a basket during the second quarter in game seven of the Western conference finals of the NBA Playoffs against the Oklahoma City Thunder at Oracle Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
May 30, 2016; Oakland, CA, USA; Golden State Warriors guard Klay Thompson (11) celebrates after making a basket during the second quarter in game seven of the Western conference finals of the NBA Playoffs against the Oklahoma City Thunder at Oracle Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports /

In the words of Stephen A. Smith, Klay Thompson is a bad man.  When he gets hot, defenses are defenseless.  Just ask the Oklahoma City Thunder.  Outside of Curry, Thompson has the greatest three-point shooting season of all time with 276 made threes.

In addition to his lethal shooting, Thompson is a superb on-ball and team defender.  Many NBA analysts have Thompson as the best two-way guard in the NBA.

While Thompson is the clear victor in the shooting guard battle, Kerry Kittles was no slouch.  In fact, Kittles might have been an even better player in today’s three-point friendly NBA than he was in the early 2000s.  Kittles shot a staggering 40.5 percent from the three-point line in 2001-02, and for his career, he shot 37.8 percent.  Kittles was the quintessential off guard.  He could be integrated into any lineup without disrupting it, could shoot from mid-range or from deep, and never stopped moving without the ball.  Furthermore, Kittles was a solid defender.

The one area where Kittles is better than Thompson is in his slashing ability.  The only deficiency in Thompson’s offensive game is his slow first step.  Kittles’ slashing ability along with Kidd’s versatility give the Nets a more balanced backcourt, even if it is not as lethal.  However, Thompson wins this matchup with ease.

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