Hall of Famer Rick Barry is sure his Golden State Warriors will find a way to navigate the lulls of a long 82-game season after this short All-Star break, one that according to head coach Steve Kerr, comes at the best possible time.
The former franchise great recalls how guys like Stephen Curry have found ways to excel even through the slumps, recalling the baby-faced assassin coming eight free throws short of his franchise-best record of 60 straight earlier in the season.
“That’s the only part of the game you can be selfish and help your team. Free throws are key,” Barry said, according to Mark Medina of the San Jose Mercury News. “You win a lot of games if you make your free throws. That’s why the Warriors are so dangerous. They’re an indefensible team when their guys are on.”
“They have three players who can shoot the three, drive to the basket and are great free-throw shooters. How do you shut that down? You can’t. You just can’t.”
The Warriors proved his point last postseason, annihilating teams through the first rounds with ease, thanks to their elite long-range shooting and accuracy from the line. While the Warriors bench now lacks the three-point shooting they once had, their 1-2-3 is draped with marksmen that can heat up in a blink of an eye.
Golden State trails the Houston Rockets by a half game after their Western Conference foe has won 10 straight games, and the Warriors recently dropped a game to the Portland Trail Blazers right before the break. But the defending champions have one of the easiest remaining schedules left, according to ESPN Stats & Info, making them still a very viable threat to end up with the top overall seed in the league for a fourth straight year.
“I think most people that know the game would concur with me that if they play their best basketball, they will win if they’re healthy. It’s that simple,” Barry said. “The other teams are going to have to play their best and hope the Warriors aren’t playing their best to beat them.”
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