Charles Barkley Guarantees the LA Clippers will make the WCF

After the LA Clippers’ 108-92 smashing of the Los Angeles Lakers, the Inside the NBA crew talked about the new look Clippers and Charles Barkley made a bold prediction.

“The LA Clippers are going to the Western Conference Finals, guaranteed,” Barkley said, sending the rest of the Inside the NBA crew into a frenzy. Shaq immediately voiced his disagreement, telling Barkley to “Stop it,” repeatedly and Ernie Johnson asked Kenny Smith if he still had the whiteboard where he writes down the ridiculous things that Barkley says.

While Smith didn’t agree with Barkley that the Clips would be making the Western Conference Finals this season, he did say that he feels Blake Griffin will be a better player this year.

“Blake Griffin is going to be a better player this year. I think his ability to handle the basketball was negated because he had a point guard that he didn’t need to handle the ball,” Smith said, “I think that was one of his best attributes, other than his athleticism, when he came into the league. He has the ball in his hands so much more now, he’s not waiting to get it, he actually has the ball. I think we’re going to see a performance like this every night from him.”

Making the Western Conference Finals would be a historic feat for the Clippers, who have yet to make it past the second round since moving to Los Angeles. It would be even more impressive for the team to make it after losing a future Hall of Famer in Chris Paul and would require career seasons from almost every Clippers player.

The season is long and a lot can happen before the playoffs come around but if the Clippers stay healthy and work out the kinks on the offensive and defensive ends of the court, they could have a realistic shot of upsetting a few teams in the playoffs and making a run.