Charles Barkley tells Klay Thompson the Warriors' playoff window is 'shut'

Live on national television, Charles Barkley told injured Golden State Warriors star Klay Thompson that his team’s playoff window is “shut” because the current group “just can’t score enough.”

Thompson, recovering from tearing his ACL over the summer, joined Barkley and the rest of the TNT crew on air during halftime of the Warriors’ season-opening matchup with the Los Angeles Clippers to discuss his rehab and the current state of the team. After Thompson said Golden State’s champion window will still be open for years to come, Barkley came out swinging.

“I was wrong before the game. I said they were gonna be the seventh or eighth seed. They’re not going to make the playoffs,” Barkley said, after watching two quarters of the 2019-2020 Warriors. “They just can’t score enough.” He went on to detail how the team’s scoring ability would compare to the rest of the Western Conference.

Golden State Warriors' Klay Thompson speaks to fans on the opening day at Chase Center, before the team's NBA basketball game against the Los Angeles Clippers on Thursday, Oct. 24, 2019, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Ben Margot)
Klay Thompson joined Charles Barkley and the TNT crew on Thursday's halftime show, only to be told to his face his team will miss the playoffs. (AP Photo/Ben Margot)

“Chuck has it right to be a little pessimistic, but I think these young guys are going to step up, man,” Klay responded.

Thompson handled the whole situation like a pro, mostly laughing it off.

But it’s been quite the day for Barkley, who earlier Thursday said that Vice President Mike Pence “needs to shut the hell up” about the NBA’s current row with China.

Never change, Charles.

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