Former NBA star Charles Oakley has tipped Steph Curry to lead the Golden State Warriors to the NBA Championship this season.
The Warriors have been in fine form in recent weeks, rattling off seven successive wins to establish themselves as a major force in the Western Conference.
They suffered a rare defeat on Tuesday, as the high-flying Phoenix Suns secured a 104-96 victory. The two teams now have identical 18-3 records.
Despite the reverse, the Warriors remain amongst the favourites to win the NBA Finals for the first time since 2018.
In a recent interview with Betway Insider, Oakley singled out Curry as the driving force behind the Warriors’ bid for glory this season.
“”In the East a lot of good teams are not really playing well right now,” he said. “Out West you’ve got Golden State, the (Los Angeles) Lakers have got injuries, Utah (Jazz) is Utah.
“It’s early but I think Golden State have been a surprise without Klay (Thompson). They have a great system. I think everybody plays to Curry.
“Golden State is more defined because everybody knows Curry’s the main guy and everybody has to play through him. Some other teams are still struggling to find their leaders and this and that.”
While the Warriors have re-emerged as a force to be reckoned with in the West, the Lakers have struggled to live up to expectations.
Despite having the likes of LeBron James and Russell Westbrook in their ranks, a 12-11 record after 23 games highlights their inconsistent nature.
However, with veteran Carmelo Anthony continuing to show he can contribute in the NBA, Oakley believes it is too early to write off the Lakers.
“LA will be up and down all year because Westbrook is Westbrook,” he added, “His mindset in basketball is different than LeBron’s or the other guys. He plays into himself sometimes.
“But as soon as LA finds a system, a top seven or eight guys – Carmelo’s starting now, he was coming off the bench earlier in the season – but it’s gonna be a rollercoaster this year I think.”
With the Lakers failing to find their rhythm during the early part of the season, NBA streaming favourites the Warriors had been cashing in prior to their blip against the Suns.
Their resurgence has taken many people by surprise, particularly after the team failed to qualify for the play-offs in each of the last two seasons.
However, with Curry back in the sort of form that saw him win the NBA MVP award in 2015 and 2016, Oakley believes the Warriors could be tough to stop this season.
“In the West think everybody had the (Los Angeles) Clippers and the Lakers or maybe Phoenix and the Lakers, but now you’re seeing Golden State – you’ve got to answer to them now.
“The way Golden State’s playing, you’ve got to make them the favourite right now because they’re playing mid-season basketball. They’ve got it clicking on all cylinders. Curry is cooking.”
Source: NBA lines site Betway