Brian Windhorst Tries His Best to Make Sense of Warriors ‘Checkbook Win’ Comment

ESPN NBA reporter Brian Windhorst is doubling down on his latest asinine comments.

The ESPN reporter said after the game that the Golden State Warriors’ 104-94 win over the Boston Celtics at Chase Center was a “checkbook win,” after Andrew Wiggins helped the Warriors win a crucial game 6 win by pouring in 26 points. Many Warriors fans interpreted the comment as being backhanded or implying that Golden State bought their way to victory.

ESPN Reporter Getting Trashed for Calling Game 5 Win A ‘Checkbook Win for the Warriors’ https://t.co/Y7TAn3tjsG

— SideAction (@SideActionHQ) June 14, 2022

Windhorst joined 95.7 The Game’s “The Morning Roast” this morning, where he defended his previous comments and tried to further clarify what he’s trying to say.

“I was acknowledging the Warriors’ ability to stick with this team and they’re being rewarded for their ability to stick with it,” Windhorst said. “They were handed a pretty amazing double-whammy to lose Klay [Thompson] and then lost Steph [Curry] for a year and lost [Kevin] Durant. For everything that they’ve had go their way for seven, eight years there, it was an incredible run. It was just a crazy turn of events and almost every team you’d ever see would have to break it down, but they stuck with it.

“First off, I don’t know why you’re implying what I said was a negative, why are you implying what I said was a negative? What I said was reality.”

Windhorst claims that he was applauding the Warriors as an organization for the path they took that led them back to the Finals, but believes the playing field isn’t level between the Celtics and the Warriors.

“I was giving the Warriors a compliment for being able to stick with spending through their rebuild, and that’s why they have the depth on this team,” Windhorst added. “And nobody would argue that Bob Myers and his front office have not done a tremendous job, and that Joe Lacob and Peter Guber have not done a fantastic job financing the team. But it is not a level playing field.

“It wasn’t a criticism, I was praising them. I’m saying, when you go against the Warriors, you’re going against a team that has incredible financial might. That’s just a true statement … The reason that the Warriors are able to do this is because they sold five percent of their team for $300 million a few months ago.”

Windhorst then doubled down:

“There’s so much prosperity, the Warriors are in such a great position, I think you’re looking for something to be upset about,” Windhorst said. “They’re in such great shape that you shouldn’t be worried at all. What I said was 100 percent true.

“Most teams would not be able to afford having a fourth man for $30 million. The Warriors are, so when you play the Warriors, you got to deal with a team that’s got a fourth man who’s worth $30 million. That’s just reality.”

You can listen to Windhorst explain below:

There are no checkbook wins in the NBA when everyone spends a ton.

Jaylen Brown makes $25 million a year. Jayson Tatum makes $32 million a year.  Enough said.

Welcome to the game outside the game! Follow us on our Sideaction Twitter handle, Instagram, and Facebook for the latest on sports and pop culture news across the web!