As we approach the final month of the NBA’s regular season, there’s little drama regarding who will come out on top of the Eastern Conference, as the Boston Celtics have created a huge gap between themselves and the rest of the pack.
In the West, though, it appears like it will be a race all the way to the end for the No. 1 seed, as well as battles throughout the standings for playoff and Play-In positioning. With the Phoenix Suns, Dallas Mavericks, and Oklahoma City Thunder all playing on TNT on Thursday night, the Inside the NBA crew discussed those standings and who they thought would come out on top, as the Thunder are fighting with the Nuggets and Timberwolves for that top spot.
Charles Barkley started his thoughts on the matter by taking some shots at TNT’s “sister network” ESPN, calling out the “idiots” over there who keep talking about the Lakers and Warriors “like they got a chance” when they are in 9th and 10th.
That led to Shaq pointing out they do technically have a chance because of the Play-In, which Barkley called “not real” and likened it to college basketball’s CBI. He stated that they ought to give Adam Silver gratitude for inventing it “so the Lakers and Warriors can get in.” Chuck’s tirade is excellent since it’s humorous and reasonably true. Given that they are two of the most well-liked teams in the league, it is not unexpected that the Lakers and Warriors generate a lot of discussion on the four-letter shows, but it can also be annoying to supporters of other teams. Barkley often enjoys taking a shot at a rival network, and in this instance, Shaq gave him the opportunity to do so and deliver a little Play-In tirade.
