Charles Barkley emphasized that the Warriors’s championship window has drawn to a close. But Draymond Green wasn’t having it.
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The Golden State Warriors took tons of fans by surprise last season when they came roaring back to title contention. Many believed they wouldn’t get over the hump, but they took home championship honors.
They entered this 2022-23 NBA season once again as one of the top teams. However, through the All-Star break, they haven’t shown any of their razzmatazz from their championship runs.
They sit at exactly a .500 record at 29-29 as of this moment. They’re also without Stephen Curry for some weeks as they attempt to secure playoff positioning. They’re only 9th in the Western Conference standings right now.
Warriors will enter the All-Star break with a profile very representative of their play this season.
-Record: 29-29
-Points scored: 6,878
-Points against: 6,873
-Offensive ranking: 14th
-Defensive ranking: 15th
-Seed: 9th— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) February 15, 2023
Charles Barkley and Draymond Green are at odds about the Warriors’ championship odds
Draymond Green was perhaps the best thing about the All-Star weekend broadcast, with all said and done. The former DPOY chipped in with valuable insights and had a great energy about him all through his stint at the booth.
At the studio tonight, however, he didn’t quite agree with Hall of Famer Charles Barkley. Based on the Warriors’ play this season, Chuck believes they can’t win a championship again, and he said as much.
All Draymond could come up with was the fact that Barkley had counted them out last year as well. But even he knows, inside his heart of hearts, that things are different this time.
Charles Barkley: “The Golden State Warriors are cooked.”
Draymond: “That’s crazy. You said that last year, but we all know you don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Chuck: “Y’all are cooked now… ya’ll are done… I’m telling you, y’all are done.”
(via @awfulannouncing) pic.twitter.com/aTc5ga8MSG
— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) February 20, 2023
How likely are Steph Curry and his Warriors to make a championship run
Much depends on the health of Stephen Curry, whose return is still slated to be a couple of weeks away. The Warriors would definitely need to hold the fort down in a jam-packed Western Conference playoff picture.
There are only 5 games separating the 5th-seeded Clippers from the 13th-seeded Lakers. With the final quarter of the season still to play, anything is possible.
However, it seems clear that the Warriors are nowhere near as deep last season. Gary Payton II will be out till the playoffs if they make it. They don’t have the services of Otto Porter Jr, Nemanja Bjelica and Damion Lee this time around either.
There’s only so much carrying Steph can do, and he certainly can’t do it deep into the playoffs.