TNT commentator Charles Barkley, recently identified by Rachel Nichols as a prominent member of #TeamGetOffMyLawn, is a professional provocateur.
That he often demonstrates a flagrant indifference to, if not outright contempt for, facts usually makes him easy to ignore.
Yet his bizarre hostility toward the Warriors has actually become quite comical.
His latest prediction is nothing new: he doesn't think the Warriors will win a title (shocking, I know). But making that kind of guarantee about a team that has not lost two in a row this season, only lost twice at home due to boredom, has homecourt advantage through the playoffs, and has the most prolific 3-point shooter in NBA history leading the league's most prolific 3-point shooting team is just sort of extra silly.
Anyway, it's all meaningless, but as the Warriors continue to dig deep to find motivation to dominate the league on the way to repeating as champions, I hope they see this video.
Update: who, you might ask, does Barkley think will beat the Warriors? The L.A. Clippers, of course, who the Warriors artfully dodged last season!
The Warriors could possibly face the Clippers in the second round this year. The Clippers have not beaten the Warriors since Christmas Day 2014. This season's Warriors is better and has won a record number of games.
It's really unfortunate that all he offered in return for being wrong about all this is getting down on his knees and congratulating them.