Charles Barkley Drops Self-Proclaimed 'Crazy' Take About the Western Conference

Karl Rasmussen | Apr 10, 2025

Charles Barkley / Screenshot via NBA on TNT

Charles Barkley has had many bold takes throughout the 2024-25 NBA season, and he was back on Thursday with another new declaration that he himself described as "crazy."

During Thursday's episode of Inside the NBA, Barkley dramatically declared that he thinks the Los Angeles Clippers are the Western Conference's second-best team behind the Oklahoma City Thunder.

"The Clippers might be the second best team in the West," said Barkley.

Barkley then clarified that health is a key factor in his take, stating that a healthy Clippers team is the conference's second-most fearsome squad.

"I'm gonna say something crazy right now" 🤣

Chuck makes a big claim about the second-best team in the West pic.twitter.com/qcy8UxWcLD

— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) April 11, 2025

He was perhaps expecting more of a response from his cohosts, but the take didn't seem to stun the rest of the TNT crew. Kenny Smith even outright told him that it wasn't a crazy take whatsoever.

"Kawhi Leonard is amazing to me. I've never seen a guy who never plays basketball, and comes back like he's been playing somewhere else. Like he's been playing overseas," said Barkley.

As it stands, Los Angeles sits in fifth in the West at 48-32. They're half a game ahead of the Memphis Grizzlies and tied with the Denver Nuggets in a crowded Western Conference. Barkley thinks, now that they're back close to full strength, that they could potentially make a run in the postseason.

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