Flashback: The Night Klay Thompson Scored 37 in a Single Quarter

January 23, 2015. Nine three-pointers, nine makes, and 37 points in twelve minutes against the Kings. The most points in a quarter in NBA history, and one of the purest scoring bursts basketball has ever seen.

Every Warriors fan who was watching on January 23, 2015 remembers the exact feeling: disbelief turning into laughter turning into something close to awe. Klay Thompson had a quiet first half against the Sacramento Kings, going 3-for-9 from the floor. Then the third quarter started, and the building at Oracle Arena tilted on its axis.

Thompson scored 37 points in that single quarter, the most any player has ever scored in one period in NBA history. He went a perfect 9-for-9 from three-point range and did not miss a single shot in the frame. He personally outscored the entire Kings team over those twelve minutes, 37 to 22, and put up 37 of the Warriors' 41 points in the quarter. Golden State won 126-101, and Thompson finished with 52 points despite sitting the last nine and a half minutes because the game was long over.

The timing made it even sweeter. Just days after that eruption, Thompson was named an All-Star for the first time in his career, and the Warriors were on their way to the first championship of the dynasty that summer. That night against the Kings was the loudest possible announcement that the quieter Splash Brother was every bit as dangerous as his backcourt partner. It remains the single most electric quarter in franchise history.

• 37 points in the third quarter, the NBA record for a single quarter
• A perfect 9-for-9 from three-point range in the frame
• Outscored the entire Kings roster 37-22 over the quarter
• Finished with 52 despite resting most of the fourth quarter
• Named a first-time All-Star days later, on the way to the 2015 title

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