Charles Barkley Blames Steph Curry’s Superhero Syndrome for Warriors Loss, Calling NBA Cup Dream a Fantasy

“Fun to watch, but not built to win.” That’s how Charles Barkley defines the Golden State Warriors this season. After that scathing remark, the Warriors suffered another blow. They are not heading to Las Vegas for the NBA Cup as they fell to the Houston Rockets 91-90 in Semifinals. The loss also snapped a 15-game winning streak against their Western Conference rivals. While the team’s struggles were apparent, Sir Charles zeroed in on Stephen Curry, claiming the star guard tried too hard to be a “hero” during the game.

After the loss, Barkley and the Inside the NBA crew reacted at the highlights. A specific play from Curry caught Barkley’s attention—for all the wrong reasons. With just 15 seconds left on the clock, Steph Curry took matters into his own hands, dribbling past his defender instead of looking for an open teammate. Barkley didn’t hide his disdain, stating bluntly, “He was trying to be a hero.”

But things only got worse. After breaking free from his defender, Curry launched a deep three-pointer with 12 seconds still left on the clock. The ball clanged off the rim, leaving the Warriors’ fate in the hands of the Rockets. Barkley doubled down on his critique: “Eight on the clock, eight on the shot clock—that was a bad play by Steph.” Had the shot gone in, the Warriors would’ve been booking their tickets to Vegas. Instead, Curry’s gamble backfired, and even he seemed to know it.

“Probably a couple seconds too early,” Curry admitted during the post-game interview, reflecting on the miss. While he defended the shot’s quality, saying, “If I make it, we’re on a plane to Vegas.” Statistically, the 36-year-old finished the night with 19 points, five assists, and three rebounds in 34 minutes of play, but those numbers didn’t soften the sting of the loss.

However, the final moments of the game weren’t without controversy. A loose ball foul against the Warriors sent Rockets guard Jalen Green to the free throw line, where he coolly sank the game-winning points. As Steve Kerr expressed his disappointment on post-game interview, Chuck expressed it’s just a fantasy. “Well, in fairness, he wasn’t going to win the cup anyway as long as Oklahoma City was waiting on his,” He said. And with that, one more game went by Warriors failed to impress Sir Charles. Moreover, that’s not the only sticking point Barkley had with the Golden State Warriors.

Charles Barkley criticizes Warriors for Curry dependency

Last week during halftime of the Warriors’ matchup against the Denver Nuggets, Charles Barkley didn’t hold back. While Ernie Johnson tried to highlight the team’s 19 first-half assists, Barkley remained unimpressed. “Yeah, they’re a fun little team to watch,” he said with a smirk. “When they’re making threes, they’re tough to beat. But I don’t believe in the Warriors. They’re cute. They’re fun to watch.”

Of course, Kenny Smith wasn’t letting him off that easily. He pushed Barkley to explain why he’s so down on Golden State. Barkley didn’t sugarcoat it: “I just don’t think they have enough talent. They got Steph [Curry] and a bunch of JAGs. Just guys. Just a guy. And they don’t have enough star power.”

Ironically, his critique felt spot on by the end of the night. The Warriors, despite holding an 11-point lead with six minutes left, crumbled to a 119-115 loss. Curry did everything he could, putting up 24 points, 11 assists, and seven rebounds, but it wasn’t enough to stop their fifth straight defeat.

For Warriors fans, Barkley’s comments might sting, but they pose a tough question: beyond Curry, does this team have what it takes to contend? For Chuck, it’s a firm and resounding no.