Warriors Defeat Mavericks 126-116 in Klay Thompson's Return

Klay Thompson returned to the Chase Center in San Francisco on Thursday for a highly anticipated Christmas Day matchup against his former team, the Golden State Warriors, but the Dallas Mavericks guard delivered a subdued performance in a 126-116 loss.

Coming off the bench for the Mavericks, the 35-year-old Thompson scored seven points on 3-for-9 shooting, including a 26-foot three-pointer in the third quarter that briefly cut Golden State's lead to 11 points. He added two rebounds and two assists in 22 minutes of play, entering the game late in the first quarter to a warm ovation from the home crowd. Thompson did not start the second half and saw limited action overall, as Dallas coach Jason Kidd rotated him out early in several periods. His girlfriend, rapper Megan Thee Stallion, watched from courtside, where she has frequently supported him since the couple went public with their relationship in July.

The Warriors, now 16-15 and back above .500, relied heavily on their bench to secure the victory despite an inefficient night from starters. Stephen Curry led Golden State with 23 points on 6-for-18 shooting, while reserves contributed 64 points. Al Horford, returning after...