While most fans recall how Klay Thompson seemed unstoppable during the 2016 Western Conference Finals when he dropped a 40-point performance, which earned him the iconic “Game 6 Klay” moniker, there was another masterclass from Thompson that left the basketball world in awe. That moment came during the 2016-17 season when the Golden State Warriors’ shooting guard dropped 60 points on the Indiana Pacers.

On the surface, one would assume that a lopsided defeat, losing by 36 points, would be an outright embarrassment for the Pacers players. Yet, for Jeff Teague, the true embarrassment lies elsewhere. While he was relieved that he wasn’t tasked with directly guarding Thompson, what stung Teague the most was how the Warriors mocked the Pacers, treating them as a non-professional team since the first quarter.

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Teague on getting humbled by the Warriors during the 2016-17 season

When the two teams met on December 6th, 2016, the Warriors had one of the most electrifying team starts to the campaign, winning 18 of their 21 games. On the other hand, the Pacers were no slouches as they themselves had won 10 contests until that point.

The difference between the teams was glaring from the opening minute. Not only did the Dubs drop 38 points in the opening quarter, but they stretched their lead to 30 points by halftime. For Teague, the real pain wasn’t in the final scoreline but in how the Warriors conducted themselves throughout the game. In typical fashion, they were running around, celebrating and clowning their opponents, much to JT’s dislike.

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“He (Klay Thompson) ain’t drop s—t on me. I told you who was guarding that n—a. I had Steph that game, Steph might’ve had 30, I don’t give a f—k. When you go to Golden State, we know we ain’t ’bout to win. You gotta be like, ‘We gotta keep it close, if they go crazy in the first quarter, it’s over,” Teague recalled on his podcast. “First quarter? We were down by 12. I was like, ‘This s—t’s over.’ I see them throwing towels, Steph’s running down the sidelines. I said, ‘They clowning us, I’m about to be on TV all night.'”

The Warriors were relentless against the Pacers that season

What made matters worse for Teague and the Pacers was that this humiliation was not a one-off. Just two weeks earlier, on November 21st, 2016, Golden State had already dismantled Indiana in an even more ruthless fashion.

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Thompson and Stephen Curry combined for 47 points in that matchup, leading the Warriors to a staggering 37-point win. On that night, the Pacers could not even muster 85 points as a team, a reflection of how thoroughly the Warriors’ defense and offense overpowered them. Although Teague managed to score 11 points in that game, it did little to soften the reality of how badly Indiana had been exposed.

So, it seems clear that during the Dubs’ rise to the pinnacle of the NBA, on one hand, there were teams like the Cleveland Cavaliers who tried giving them stiff competition, while on the other hand, there were plenty of teams like the Pacers who couldn’t even stand firm against the Warriors for even a quarter.

This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Sep 18, 2025, where it first appeared in the Latest News section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.