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The highly anticipated matchup between Butler and Klay will be a crucial factor in the Warriors' clash against the Mavericks.

Even before Klay Thompson left the Warriors for the Dallas Mavericks last summer, Golden State’s front office sought a new sidekick for Stephen Curry. Not until last week did they find their man.

Two games into their partnership, Curry and Jimmy Butler are poised to become Golden State’s most dynamic scoring duo since prime Steph and Klay.

Past meets present Wednesday night when small forwards Thompson and Butler square off in the Warriors-Mavericks game in Dallas. Coverage on NBC Sports Bay Area begins at 5:30 p.m. PT, with tipoff from American Airlines Center scheduled for 6:30 p.m.

Curry flourished for 11 seasons with Thompson as his No. 2, the pair making five consecutive trips to NBA All-Star Games, beginning in 2015, and earning the nickname “Splash Brothers” for their elite 3-point shooting. They were the most dangerous backcourt in NBA history.

Thompson’s departure as a free agent left a void the Warriors tried to fill by committee. They added De’Anthony Melton and Buddy Hield last summer. Curry-Melton showed potential but ended when Melton sustained a season-ending ACL tear. That led to the acquisition of Dennis Schröder, whose failed chemistry with Curry led to a four-team trade that landed Butler.

The Curry-Butler pairing already is showing signs of sublime compatibility. After struggling for the better part of a month, Curry scored 72 points while shooting 51.2 percent from the field, including 43.8 percent from distance.

Curry acknowledged there is “a correlation” between his resurgence and Butler’s arrival.

Butler scored 45 points in his first two games with Curry, with the most salient statistic being his 23-of-28 shooting from the line – the highest free-throw production from a Warrior in back-to-back games since Kevin Durant in 2018.

Thompson has had his ups and downs with the Mavericks but joins teammate Kyrie Irving at the top of Golden State’s scouting report. The former Warriors guard is averaging 13.8 points per game, shooting 42 percent from the field, including 39.3 percent from deep. He has scored 20 or more points in nine games but has yet to reach 30.

Thompson’s season-high of 29 points (in 29 minutes), including 7-of-11 shooting from distance, came while leading Dallas to a 143-133 win over his former team on Dec. 15 at Chase Center.

That was nearly two months ago, long before Butler became a Warrior.

Butler and Thompson were once considered the NBA’s best two-way wings – both have All-Defensive team status – and they’ll see plenty of each other as the Warriors try to take down the injury-plagued Mavericks.

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