The “Inside the NBA” analyst has an interesting team making the NBA Finals inside the bubble
The year of 2020 has proven that anything and everything can happen, especially in sports. The NHL has seen favorites in the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Edmonton Oilers eliminated in the Stanley Cup Qualifying Round. That means that hoops fans can potentially see heavily-favored teams bounced out of the NBA Playoffs once they commence.
During the Friday slate of seeding games, “Inside the NBA” analyst Charles Barkley revealed which team he believes will represent the Western Conference in the NBA Finals. No, it’s not the Los Angeles Lakers or Clippers. Barkley’s picking the Portland Trail Blazers!
Charles Barkley really just said the Portland Trailblazers are making the NBA Finals...pic.twitter.com/mkgwtKYQYc
— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) August 8, 2020
Barkley has always been on the Blazers bandwagon
It’s no secret that Barkley has an admiration for the Trail Blazers. Barkley mentioned in the above clip that last year, he picked Portland to clinch a spot in the Finals. They were close, but were swept by the powerhouse Golden State Warriors, which Draymond Green was happy to remind him about from all the way across the socially-distanced studio desk. Once the NBA restart was about to begin, Barkley provided the bold prediction that the Trail Blazers will clinch the eighth seed and upset the Lakers in the first round of the playoffs.
Barkley can’t help but feel confident when watching the Trail Blazers’ performances in the seeding games. Star point guard Damian Lillard has been downright unstoppable on the court, as he tallied a grand total of 96 points through Portland’s first three seeding games, 45 of which came this past Thursday against the third-place Denver Nuggets. Still, a loss to the Clippers on Saturday won’t help matters.
With the Memphis Grizzlies entering a downward spiral, the eighth seed could very well be Portland’s to lose. But, they’ll have to try and hold back the undefeated Phoenix Suns, the New Orleans Pelicans and the San Antonio Spurs to clinch the coveted playoff berth.
If the Blazers are to do that, they stand to be a major threat to the top-seeded Lakers in the first round.