"This series is over"- Charles Barkley says the Warriors are done after they go down to LeBron James and the Lakers.
On May 8, the Los Angeles Lakers took a commanding lead in their series against the Golden State Warriors by winning 104-101. The Lakers have now won three out of four games against the Warriors, needing only one more win to advance to the Western Conference Finals.
NBA analyst Charles Barkley shared his thoughts on Inside the NBA, stating that the Warriors are cooked and that the series is over, regardless of whether it takes five or six games to finish.
"They're cooked. This series is over. Whether five or six, it's over. I think the Lakers did a fabulous job in making Klay and Steph work - they're attacking them. Because they know they're the two guys they have to worry about. They attacked them every single time in the half-court. Because the Warriors are switching everything. I personally thought Klay and Steph got tired in the game. Because I love the Lakers, are like, 'We're not going to let those guys run up and down the court and just shoot.' They run a pick-and-roll every time. They're trying to guard LeBron; he's going at Klay, he's going at Steph."
LeBron James had another impressive performance for the Lakers, scoring 27 points, grabbing nine rebounds, and dishing out six assists in 43 minutes of playing time. His shooting was solid, with 40% from the field, 100% from the line, but only 22.2% from three-point range.
Steph Curry is trying to 'figure out' LeBron James
According to Draymond Green, who was speaking on a May 8 episode of The Draymond Green Podcast, Stephen Curry is finding it challenging to predict James' performances, which have been versatile and difficult to predict.
“Steph said to me, ‘Yo, I’m trying to figure Bron out,'” Green said.. “After not taking a shot through most of the first half, he ends up getting it going with 21, eight and eight. You know, it was big, really big. He hit some big shots, some timely shots. One of the threes he hit on the wing in the first half was a very timely bucket, and it slowed our run down."
One of the main reasons for the Warriors' struggles is the clash of playing styles between the two teams. The Lakers use their size and strength to their advantage by putting pressure on the rim, seeking mid-range looks, and dominating the rebounding battle.
In contrast, the Warriors rely on a five-out offense and aim to control the pace and movement of the game. The Lakers have been converting a higher percentage of their shots, including 66.8% at the rim, 44.6% from mid-range, and 31.9% from beyond the arc, according to data from Cleaning The Glass.
Nevertheless, it would appear the Los Angeles Lakers have been the team to impose their will on the series thus far. And now, the Golden State Warriors will struggle to defend their NBA Championship from last season.
The Los Angeles Lakers and Golden State Warriors will face off for game five of their series on Wednesday, May 10, at the Chase Center.