Charles Barkley Picks the Chicago Bulls to Finish Ahead of Miami Heat
TNT analyst Charles Barkley is no stranger to criticizing the Miami Heat.
He has been among the most vocal critics of the Heat, joining former ESPN analyst Paul Pierce. On Tuesday, Barkely continued his way during the pregame broadcast before the start of the regular season.
When asked about the new-look Heat featuring Kyle Lowry, he predicted the Chicago Bulls would have a better record.
"I still like the Bulls better," Barkley said. "The Chicago Bulls will finish ahead of the "Heat."
Last year the Bulls finished 31-41 and did not make the playoffs. They added DeMar DeRozan and Lonzo Ball in the offseason, causing some to view them as one of the league's most improved teams. They also signed Alex Caruso from the Los Angeles Lakers.
They have become the preseason media darlings but refused to get caught up in the hype.
"I never try to put too much thought on how Vegas or whoever comes up with the odds they come up with," DeRozan said during the preseason. "Because at the end of the day you don't know how hard we are working, how bad we want something, how much we are fighting for something. It's bigger than just somebody's predictions and how we are approaching it."
The Heat are coming a season where they lost to the eventual champion Milwaukee Bucks in the first round. Even then, Barkley was taking his shots during the series.
After the Heat lost Game 2, Barkely said, "Those boys from Miami can only play in the bubble." He was referencing the Heat advancing to the NBA Finals in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic-shortened season. Last December when asked if the Heat could return to the Finals, Barkley said, "No chance, I'll take that bet right now."
Barkley has long been critical of the Heat, dating to the LeBron James years. If anything, this year gives the Heat a chance to silence him.
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