Clicking a thread link does jump to the most recent post, and using this thread as a guide, note how a desktop web browser’s scroll bar keeps getting smaller as you move towards post #1. So I guess you are half right. I am a strong believer in the KISS principle and still prefer an option to paginate.
Oh, and I did find site configuration options by clicking on the upper-right profile picture (?) icon, then the username on the menu, then Settings. While it’s a common design decision today, I also find it ridiculous to have to hunt for settings when there is so much negative space at the top of the page. “Log Out” should be 1 click, not 3.