Last Week In Weaponized Joy Vol. 1: Durant’s love vs Klay’s frenzy

Have you heard of the theory of “Weaponized Joy”?

It is the fuel of the Golden State Warriors dynasty, the fire in the belly of the dragon, the 11 herbs and spices in Colonel Sanders’ poultry recipe. It’s the magical moment when a normal Dubs game erupts as the glory of the heavens is unleashed in basketball form. You know it’s happening when the Warriors bench is giddly celebrating in unison as the champs bury a shellshocked opponent with a deluge of Sports Center worthy highlights, sending the crowd into delirium.

For example:

The more the Dubs have fun, then the more epic their highlights, which provides them with more glee, which in turn incites dangerously high levels of awesome plays and celebrations. That voracious appetite for exciting, unselfish, dominant basketball is as entertaining for fans as it is soul-crushing for opponents.

Starting this season GSoM will be cataloging these brilliant moments on a week to week basis, giving you beautiful people the opportunity to choose which moments weaponized the most joy!

Last week, we saw the champs square off in a friendly exhibition against the young, hopeful Sacramento Kings. There’s two guys in particular who I felt really weaponized some joy in that contest.

KLAY THOMPSON’S ANNUAL FEEDING FRENZY ON THE KINGS

Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports

Klay Thompson, the younger brother of Splash, the Basketball Android, had himself a night in Seattle.

He lit the hapless Kings up for 19 points on 5 treys in the first 9 minutes! Something about those purple jerseys sends Thompson into an unquenchable blood lust that can only be mildly placated by drilling shot after shot after shot. Remember, Sacramento was the victim when Thompson set the record for most points in an NBA quarter.

Why this deserves to be #1: It should be of no surprise that he eagerly filled the void created by the absence of “El Hermano de Splash” Stephen Curry. Thompson is his brother’s keeper, after all. Shooting exhibitions like this are the foundation by which the Warriors first began weaponizing joy. The explosive reactions from the Seattle crowd and the Dubs’ bench as Thompson swaggered around with his tongue out were pure entertainment.

Can you tell that Klay is totally DeMarcus Cousins’ favorite Warrior?

KEVIN DURANT RESURRECTS SEATTLE BASKETBALL

Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports

The first NBA game in Seattle in ten years was an emotional contest for those good people that helplessly watched as their Supersonics were kidnapped and mutated into the Oklahoma City Thunder. Kevin Durant was drafted by the Sonics, and has continually campaigned for the Emerald City to have a basketball franchise again. His pre-game words melted the hearts of the Seattle faithful.

“On behalf of myself, the NBA, our organization, my teammates we want to thank you guys for coming out and supporting us,” he said after lauding the WNBA’s Seattle Storm for winning a league title. “I know it’s been a rough 10 years. NBA is back in Seattle for tonight. Hopefully it’s back forever soon.”

—Durant per the Washington Post

But he didn’t stop there, actually donning the Shawn Kemp throwback jersey during the rocking introductions for the Warriors.

Why this deserves to be #1: KD tried to keep his “Slim Reaper” stoicism as he slapped hands with his teammates, but the moment swept over him, and he broke into a joyful grin. The electricity that coursed through the building flooded Durant’s teammates, and they bounced around him like it was his birthday party.

Moments like these are what the champions feed on; his deep pride for the city of Seattle and their beaming gratitude for him invigorated the Warriors to blow out Sacramento. Putting that jersey on was like combining all of the swag of Kemp’s exciting legacy with the golden power of the Warriors dynasty. IT’S OVER 9000!

Also, I finally feel closure for this Kemp highlight over the Dubs, way back when:

Yikes!