After the Golden State Warriors lost Game 4 to the Lakers, falling behind 3-1 in the series, the Hall of Famers on TNT’s “Inside the NBA” had strong reactions. Charles Barkley declared that the Warriors are “cooked” for the series, while Shaquille O’Neal believes the defending champions still have a great chance to win.
Chuck on the Warriors: "They're cooked. This series is over." pic.twitter.com/ISRUnbXpxW
— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) May 9, 2023
Barkley has been antagonistic towards the Warriors for years, but this postseason, he guaranteed a Kings victory in Game 5 before Golden State won. Now, Barkley is ready to declare the Warriors as dead, saying, “Cooked. They’re cooked. This series is over. Whether in five or six [games], it’s over.”
At the start of the segment, O’Neal was asked what the chances are of the Warriors coming back from a 3-1 deficit in the series. He replied, “Still great.” He explained that “you’re going up against the champs. You’ve got to put the champs away. The champs ain’t going to lay down.” O’Neal added that Curry missed those last two shots, and “when dogs get pissed off, they come ready to play the next day.”
O’Neal’s support of Curry isn’t a shock, and he even sounded like some Warriors fans on Monday night, seeing the opportunity out of being down 3-1 to the Lakers and LeBron James. “They’re probably saying, ‘Remember when we had them 3-1 and they came back?’ Now, they have a chance to get LeBron back,” O’Neal said, referencing the 2016 NBA Finals.
TNT’s other commentator, Kenny Smith, agreed with O’Neal, wondering about some adjustments to come. He expects the Warriors to try to keep pushing the tempo of this series. “I’m not going to be surprised when we see a Game 6,” Smith said.
While Barkley’s words are always tinged with some dislike of the Warriors’ style of play, his assessment of Monday night didn’t seem off. “I think the Lakers did a fabulous job of making Klay and Steph work by attacking them,” Barkley said. “They attack them every single time in the half court, because the Warriors are switching everything. I personally thought Klay and Steph got tired.”
Barkley may be right, and fatigue could be a factor going forward. But for someone who always seems to laugh at the Warriors, Golden State still has a chance to get the last laugh.
The NBA Playoffs Heat Up: Reactions from Inside the NBA and LeBron James Makes History
LeBron James has surpassed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for the most two-pointers made in NBA Playoff history during Game 4 against the Golden State Warriors. This achievement is a testament to James’ longevity and ability to penetrate the paint throughout his career.
Although the Warriors had Game 4 within their grasp with a late four-point lead, they collapsed, allowing the Lakers to come back and win. Despite this loss, the series is not over yet, and both LeBron James and Steph Curry know what it takes to come back from a 3-1 deficit. Game 5 will be played in the Bay, and anything can happen in the playoffs.
