The Golden State Warriors finished with an NBA-best 67-15 record this season, but Charles Barkley isn't sold on them winning the championship. Sir Charles thinks they're too "one-dimensional" and way too in love with jump shooting to win the NBA crown.
That criticism would bother most, but not Steve Kerr. The first-year Warriors coach will never come down hard on Barkley nor his criticism and the reason is pretty hilarious. Let's just say, Kerr thinks that Chuck made too good of a drinking partner for many years for him to ever be mad at him.
"I love Charles. I worked with him for eight years. He's incredible at what he does. He's hilarious. He picks up every bar tab when you're on the road; 28 people from TNT at the bar, and he picks up the tab," Kerr told CSN Bay Area. "He bought me so many beers over the years that whatever Charles wants to say about our team I have no problem with."
Now, that's funny. As hilarious as Barkley is on Turner Network Television's "Inside The NBA" show offering brutally honest basketball analysis, imagine how unfiltered he is at the bar. Kerr probably has had too many laughs with the Hall of Famer to ever be too upset with him. Before he accepted the Warriors job, ex-NBA star Kerr worked as a color commentator at TNT with Barkley.
Barkley once again made his criticism of Kerr's Warriors loud and clear Wednesday night after the playoff matchups were set.
"I don't like jump-shooting teams," Barkley said live on TNT. "I don't think you can make enough jumpers to win four series, and I've said that for 25 years. They're going to beat the [Warriors' first-round opponent] New Orleans Pelicans, but they have some matchup issues and I think they'll struggle against big teams. They're a legitimate contender, but I just think bigger teams can beat them up down low."
Perhaps Kerr can make the "Round Mound of Rebound" eat his words and then offer to pick up the bar tab after he leads the Warriors to a championship victory. Cheers to that!
