“6, 7, or 8 seed…” Charles Barkley has WILD take for NBA Finalists Dallas Mavericks despite new addition
Charles Barkley ripped into the Dallas Mavericks, claiming that the Western Conference champions had a 'fluke' playoff run last season.
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Charles Barkley rips into Dallas Mavericks
Charles Barkley is no stranger to dropping hot takes. But his latest hot take might drive even his biggest fans to take a moment of thought before accepting it. Barkley and the Inside Crew talked about their over/under predictions for the Dallas Mavericks following the team’s season opener against the San Antonio Spurs.
Chuck’s opinion on the Mavericks may be a cause of concern for some. When asked about his thoughts on Klay Thompson‘s debut with the Mavericks, Barkley stated his indifference to Thompson’s addition and opined that the Mavericks caught a lucky break by reaching the NBA Finals last season.
In their current state, Charles Barkley does not see the Mavs occupying a top spot in the Western Conference.
I think they got lucky last year because of matchups… I think Dallas is a bottom of the West 6, 7 or 8 seed.
Charles Barkley said
Chuck on the Mavs: “I think they got lucky last year because of matchups… I think Dallas is a bottom of the West 6, 7 or 8 seed." ? pic.twitter.com/Bo5KyigOLN
— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) October 25, 2024
Barkley’s comments are definitely a fiery hot take, as the Mavericks had one of the toughest roads to the NBA finals last season. They beat the fifth-seed LA Clippers, albeit without Kawhi Leonard, before defeating the one-seed Oklahoma City Thunder. The Mavs would go on to beat the gritty Minnesota Timberwolves in the conference finals, a team that had defeated reigning champions Denver Nuggets in the second round
In the offseason, the Mavericks added the sharpshooting prowess of Thompson. Combining that with greater chemistry between the offensive backcourt of Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving, it seems implausible to think that the Mavericks would have a worse season than last year.
The Chuckster has always had his share of hits and misses with his opinions. It remains to be seen how Barkley’s latest take will pan out.
Charles Barkley dishes on Klay Thompson’s Mavs debut
One of the primary reasons Charles Barkley is lower on the Dallas Mavericks than most is the blunt position he has with Klay Thompson’s addition to the team. Thompson leaving the Warriors to sign with the Mavericks was seen as one of the biggest acquisitions of the offseason, adding much required shooting depth to the team. However, Barkley feels differently about the 34-year-old sharpshooter.
Everybody likes Klay Thompson, but no player gets better with age. He got the two bad breaks, ACL and the Achilles, and that’s the reason the Warrior wanted to move on. He’s not the same player.
Charles Barkley said
"Everybody likes Klay Thompson, but no player gets better with age" ⌛
— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) October 24, 2024
Chuck gives his take on the future hall of famer ?️ pic.twitter.com/dmbMhwJ3QX
Barkley’s stance may seem harsh to many. However, there lies some truth behind his criticism, given the decline that Thompson witnessed with the Warriors over the last few seasons. Thankfully for Mavs fans, the sharpshooting export from the Bay Area laced the nets in his regular-season debut with the team.
Thompson ended the game with 22 points on 6-10 shooting from behind the arc in just 26 minutes of playing time. The Mavericks went on to defeat the Spurs with hefty contributions from their offensive backcourt featuring Doncic, Irving, and Thompson. After the first game of the season, the jury remains out on the Mavs’ future, but things look to be heading in the right direction.
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Armaan Gupta
(324 Articles Published)