Charles Barkley Says Warriors Have 'Zero Chance' of Winning NBA Finals Without Kevin Durant

Charles Barkley doesn't think the Warriors are going to be able to make a run to the NBA Finals and win without Kevin Durant in the lineup.

Kevin Durant warms up for a game.
USA Today Sports

Image via USA TODAY Sports/Bill Streicher

Kevin Durant warms up for a game.

Earlier this week, the Warriors found out that they are going to be without Kevin Durant for at least the next month and possibly longer. KD suffered an MCL sprain and a bone bruise in his left knee during a game against the Wizards and is now out "indefinitely."

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But even without KD, Golden State obviously still has a really potent lineup. They have Steph Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green on their roster, and they have made runs to the NBA Finals over each of the last two seasons when KD was still playing for the Thunder. So they would still have a decent chance to make it back to the Finals and win even if KD can’t come back until next season, right?

We aren’t so sure. And neither is Charles Barkley. In fact, Barkley spoke about the Warriors on TNT’s Inside the NBA on Thursday night and said that he thinks they have "zero chance" of winning the Finals this season if KD is unable to come back. Furthermore, he doesn’t even think the Warriors would make it out of the Western Conference without KD.

"Without Kevin Durant, they’ve got zero chance at winning the championship," he said. "Actually, with the additions the Cavaliers have made, they probably are the leader in the clubhouse. But without Kevin Durant, they’ve got no chance at winning the championship. Zero…If they don’t have Kevin Durant, I don’t even think they get out of the West."

This isn’t the first time Barkley has taken aim at the Warriors this season. He has also ripped KD in the past. But this time, he might actually have a point. "Zero chance" seems a little bit extreme. But the Warriors—who lost to the Bulls 94-87 on Thursday night in their first game since KD’s injury—are certainly going to have a tough time making it to the Finals, let alone winning the Finals, if they don’t have KD.

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