Klay Thompson hardly had to try to break the NBA 3-point record

The Bulls just let Klay launch from anywhere he wanted.

The Warriors 149-124 win over the Bulls on Friday night reminded the NBA world of two very important things: Klay Thompson is one of the best shooters of all-time, and Chicago’s new acquisitions have no interest in playing defense.

Thompson, who is notorious for going on boiling-hot 3-point shooting streaks, was his vintage self against the Bulls because they let him be. After making just 5-of-36 threes in his first seven games, he broke Steph Curry’s record with 14 threes on 24 tries. He scored 52 points in 27 minutes, and he didn’t have to work all that hard to get open.

A majority of Thompson’s threes came off basic screens or his ability to just lose a defender in traffic by ... jogging. A complete lack of communication by the Bulls on the defensive end allowed him to four corner threes, which are the most efficient shots outside of dunks and layups (1.75 feet closer than threes above the arc.)

The Bulls invested $98 million guaranteed dollars this summer to Zach LaVine and Jabari Parker, two good offensive, but dreadful defensive players. Each was guilty for a number of Thompson threes, and it should be of no surprise.

In an interview with the Bernstein and McKnight Show on 670 The Score in July, Parker preached that the league doesn’t pay players to play defense. Seriously.

“Well, I don’t know I just stick to my strengths,” Parker said. “Look at everybody in the league. They don’t pay players to play defense. There’s only two players, historically, who play defense. I’m not gonna say that I won’t, but to say that’s a weakness is like saying that’s everybody’s weakness. I’ve scored 30s and 20s off of guys who say they try to play defense.”

LaVine has spoken on his poor defensive play, too, suggesting he’s a good on-ball defender who struggles weak-side, according to the Chicago Sun-Times.

“I know personally I’ve always been a really good on-the-ball [defender],” LaVine said. “I don’t know if you guys can tell me that I’m not good on the ball. I’ve always had a problem off the weak side and stuff like that. That’s the main thing you hammer and you try to focus on.’’

(The Bulls have the second-worst defensive rating in the league ahead of the Cavaliers, allowing 119 points per 100 possessions.)

Not to take away from Thompson’s shooting brilliance, but here’s all 14 of his three-point makes ranked from most difficult to easiest.

1. Dribble step-back

Thompson’s most difficult make was his first of the game. Trapped in the corner, he waited for a Draymond Green screen to free him to take a step back behind the line and launch. He had a hand in his face, which is why this shot is not like the 13 others.

Shot difficulty ranking: 6/10

2. Coming off a screen with a defender kind of close

Stephen Curry is an underrated screener, but this is still poor defense. LaVine and Cameron Payne don’t talk at all, even though the incoming screen is blatant. Thompson was easily freed shoot as Payne didn’t come close to moving after Curry’s pick.

This was, somehow, one of Klay’s most difficult looks.

Shot difficulty ranking: 5/10

3. Shooting a semi-contested shot

Thompson was on fire at this point in the game, and still nobody picked him up on the perimeter. Holiday came to close out on his shot way too late as Klay was already releasing the ball. But a defender was kind of close, making this one of the hardest makes of the night.

Shot difficulty ranking: 3.5/10

4. Coming off a delayed screen while bobbling the ball a little

Another Curry screen tied LaVine up while Payne watched. Thompson could’ve fired the ball sooner, but bobbled the pass a bit, playing the best Bulls defense of the possession.

Shot difficulty ranking: 3/10

5. Shot faking once and dribbling once

Thompson was left completely alone on the perimeter until Parker noticed him. He gave effort, chasing the shot, but instead of closing out, he jumped. Klay then faked the shot once and dribble to the left once.

Woo that was a tough one.

Shot difficulty ranking: 2.9/10

6. Dribbling one time

Justin Holiday came around Curry’s screen and then flailed his arm a bit, making Thompson take one step over to the left before swooshing. (Reminder that at this point Klay is bleeding from the forehead after colliding with Damian Jones, his own teammate.)

Shot difficulty ranking: 2.8/10

7. Taking two steps (and flaring) off a screen

That is all he had to do.

Shot difficulty ranking: 1.6/10

8. Taking three steps off a screen

I mean that’s really it.

Shot difficulty ranking: 1.5/10

9. Taking four steps off a screen

Yep.

Shot difficulty ranking: 1.4/10

10. Catching and shooting while a defender looks

Payne was in the right position, but too late. He sagged off Thompson for whatever reason after he’d already made double-digit threes, and then didn’t put a hand up. This was basically a Golden State Warriors shoot-around.

Shot difficulty ranking: 1.3/10

11. Jogging to a corner

Nobody on defense followed him. This is so easy.

Shot difficulty ranking: 1/10

12. Jogging, but this time to the other corner

Tricky move by Klay.

Shot difficulty ranking: .5/10

13. This happened so quickly neither broadcast showed it

Right before the half, Klay sunk his 10th three so quickly and neither the Bulls nor the Warriors broadcast showed what happened. The Bulls’ team was so over this game that the camera was focused on Joakim Noah in the crowd.

Shot difficulty ranking: Not sure but easy as hell

14. Casually dribbling until it’s time to shoot

LaVine just watched Klay dribble all the way down the court and pull up in his face. He didn’t come anywhere near one of the best shooters alive until after the shot was already up.

This is hilarious. Klay really set a record without trying after one of his worst shooting stretches ever.

Shot difficulty ranking: 0/10