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Charles Barkley Makes Bold Statement on Who Best Team in Western Conference Is

Courtney Tate

Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

Although the Oklahoma City Thunder came up short in the 2024 NBA Cup Finals, former NBA Veteran and NBA on TNT host Charles Barkley declares the Thunder as “the best team in the West, by far.”

The Thunder currently hold a record of 21-5 and still sit at the top spot in the Western Conference, and Barkley believes there isn’t a team in the conference that poses them any challenges.

“My Suns get can't healthy; the wild card is Memphis, the Lakers stink, the Warriors are mediocre. But this team is the best in the West by far. Houston is too young; they're not ready for the deep water yet.”

The Thunder’s success can be attributed to their exceptional defense and development of their young core including players like MVP candidate Shai-Gilgeous Alexander. They currently lead the NBA in defensive rating, generating on average 12 steals a game and allowing 103.7 points per 100 possessions. This team is the first in NBA history to maintain a positive steal-turnover ratio.

The Thunder also features one of the deepest teams in the West with Alexander as the first scoring option, and on any given night he can give any team a 30-point performance. Other players like Jalen Williams, who has emerged as the team’s clear second scoring option, and Chet Holmgren make this team even scarier to see come playoff time.

Holmgren has been missing from the lineup since November 10, when he suffered a right iliac hip fracture against the Golden State Warriors. The team announced he would be out for at least eight to 10 weeks, with a return to play protocol to be provided after that period.

This injury was definitely a setback for OKC, given prior to the injury, Holmgren contributed 16.4 points, 8.7 rebounds, and 2.6 blocks per game. He has been a key contributor to the Thunder’s success, and Barkley highlights his return as a major benefit for the team.

“It's going to be interesting when Chet Holmgren comes back because they're going to be able to beat you in multiple ways,” Barkley said on NBA on TNT. “They can go big, they can go small… This team is the clear favorite to win the West easily right now.

Although this is a bold statement to make this early in the season, many fans agree with the former NBA star as the Thunder are just truly the team beat right now.

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Courtney Tate
COURTNEY TATE

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