Warriors are Shaq’s favorites to win NBA championship originally appeared on NBC Sports Bayarea
The Warriors are turning heads, as national media members have begun to stake their claim in Golden State’s odds of winning their fourth title in eight seasons.
Sitting atop the Western Conference standings with a record of 12-2 after beating the Brooklyn Nets 117-99 at Barclays Center Tuesday night, the Warriors continue to impress night in and night out.
Prior to Tuesday’s game, NBA on TNT commentator and Hall of Famer Shaquille O’Neal officially named the Warriors as his favorite to win the 2021-22 NBA championship.
“They’re (11-2) at 85 percent,” Shaq said on air prior to Tuesday’s game. “What I mean by that, is [Klay Thompson] ain’t even back yet. When he comes back and they’re playing like this, the energy they’re playing with — shout out to my nephew Gary Payton II — the way that they’re out there having fun, I’m gonna say Golden State is my favorite to win the championship.”
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Shaq isn’t the only media personality buying in to the Warriors’ championship potential, as did ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith a few weeks ago.
Shaq makes an excellent point, in that the Warriors are dominating the rest of the league without Klay Thompson, who reportedly could make his long-awaited return to the court before Christmas. With Klay back in the fold soon, there’s no limit as to what this Golden State team can be capable of.
We’ll have to wait and see if the Warriors are able to live up to Shaq’s lofty expectations.