The Golden State Warriors have their work cut out for them this year, as they attempt to maintain pace in the wildly competitive Western Conference without the help of Klay Thompson or Kevin Durant. Thompson, who will likely miss the entire season, joined the NBA on TNT broadcast for last night's home-opener against the Los Angeles Clippers, and Charles Barkley didn't hold back when sharing his outlook for the new-look Warriors.
Simply put, Barkley told Klay that the Warriors' championship window has shut and the team won't even be good enough for an eighth seed this season.
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During half time of the Clippers' 141-122 victory, Chuck delivered his unfiltered thoughts as Klay was forced to soak it in from a few seats away.
Klay Thompson: “Our window to win another championship, I think, is open for the next five, six years.”
Charles Barkley: “Well, number one, I hope you get back soon, but you’re just wrong... I was wrong before the game. I said they were going to be the 7-8 seed. They’re not going to make the playoffs because they just can’t score enough.”
Chuck adds, “When you look at your team, you say ‘OK, Steph can get me 30. D’Angelo [Russell] can get me 20. Draymond, even though he’s a heck of a player, he’s only going to get me 15.’ That’s not enough in the Western Conference. This year.”
Steph Curry led the Warriors with 23 points on 8-of-20 shooting, including 2-of-11 from three, while D'Angelo Russell added 20 with eight assists. The Warriors other highest-scoring players? Rookie Eric Paschall and second-year guard Jacob Evans, both of whom chipped in 14 points a piece.
Up next for the Warriors are a pair of back-to-back road games, at Oklahoma City on Sunday afternoon and against the Pelicans on Monday night.