For Dub Nation, any playoff victory is still sweet. Especially with the question marks surrounding the vitals of the dynasty, which seemed to be on life support after the Warriors dropped the first two games of their playoff series against the Kings.
What made Wednesday night’s thrilling 123-116 win in Sacramento even better? The Warriors made longtime hater Charles Barkley eat crow.
Before the Game 5 matchup, when both teams entered the series tied 2-2, the Chuckster went on TNT’s ‘Inside the NBA’ and made one of his trademark ‘GUAR-AN-TEE!’ picks, assuring the audience that the Kings would defend home court. Welp. Barkley was wrong. Again.
"The Kings are gonna whoop their ass tonight,” Barkley said. “Guarantee it. Guarantee it. It ain't gonna be close. Not gonna be close. The Kings are gonna blow the Warriors out tonight. Guaranteed!”
The Warriors have long made a habit of Barkley look wrong with his hot takes, as he initially doubted that a team full of shooters could ever win a title. Well four championships and eight years later, Golden State is still alive and looking like a contender.
Steph Curry might be 35, and Klay Thompson and Draymond Green are both 33. But the trio has now won a road game in 28 straight series and is one more victory from advancing to the next round.
Last year, Warriors fans had some fun back-and-forth with Barkley after he predicted the team would falter in the Western Conference Finals. Until proven otherwise, Barkley might be smart to not bet against the Warriors and their championship core.
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