Video: Sir Charles picks Spurs to win the West
The San Antonio Spurs are the hottest team in the NBA right now. They went 8-1 on their annual Rodeo Road Trip, sit atop the Southwest Division, and are second in the Western Conference at 24-10 to the Oklahoma City Thunder at 27-7.
And as the team heads into the All-Star break on a winning note, Charles Barkley recently stated on TNT's Inside the NBA, the Spurs can not only beat the Thunder in the playoffs, but come out of the West to the NBA Finals. Take a look.
This season, the Spurs and Thunder split their first two meetings and despite the Thunder's stellar record, it seems the Spurs can hold their own versus the West's best. Here is how the two teams fare against one another in their two meetings this season.
• Spurs average 101.5 points versus the Thunder while OKC average 102.1 points versus the Spurs.
• Spurs average 43.5 rebounds versus the Thunder while OKC average 45.5 rebounds versus the Spurs.
• Spurs average 20.5 assists versus the Thunder while OKC average 21.5 assists versus the Spurs.
However, there are areas both teams have an advantage.
• Spurs is shooting a blistering 54.3% from the three-point line versus OKC this season. OKC shoots 35% from downtown versus San Antonio.
• OKC edges San Antonio in field goal percentage shooting 48.7% against the Spurs who shoot 41.9% from the field against OKC.
In the end, it might just come down to the Spurs' experience versus the Thunder's youth. The Spurs' core has been there, done that winning three titles during their time together. OKC has been to the West Finals once. The Spurs have a coach (Gregg Popovich) who is undefeated in Finals play while the Thunder have a coach who has not been to the NBA Finals.
What do you have to say Spurs fans? Do you agree with Chuck about the Spurs? Do you think the Thunder are still the team to beat in the West?
yall make some good points!
I just heard that the bucks are willing to let go of bogut, maybe send 2-3 players and make a deal happen?
Also the Spurs are gonna have some money to spend in the free agency, Tims contract is gonna come off the books, Plus maybe one of our bigs from overseas will come over and play( probably wont happen)
I agree with you rtes. The spurs do need another big. But I dont know that trading for one at the deadline will do it. Pops system is too complicated for one of the younger players you mentioned to learn in half a condensed season. The spurs will probably will add another big via free agency but it wont be a big name free agent. They will sign someone to pick up a min or two to rest the other guys and just increase the mins of splitter and duncan in the playoffs. Pop is a genius when it comes to playoff rotation sets and I believe he will make a rotation worthy of a championship.
It is doubted if the spurs would win the western conference without the help of another big man. The thunders are just oozing with confidence and they have the materials to be. The spurs just have to sign another big man. I don't know where it would come from, but they have have another big man. Not McDyess. He's too old to compete. Not even the "birdman" Anderson is enough. Maybe trade James Anderson and RJefferson for Illyasova and Sanders of the Bucks would do the trick. Or Faried and Koufos of the Nuggets or convince the Jazz to give up Favors. Go Mr. Buford!
