The Oklahoma City Thunder are moving on to the NBA Emirates Cup semifinal.
Mark Daigneault’s team has the best record in the Western Conference again, and they look like a nightmare of a matchup against every team in the league.
That’s why, following their win over the Dallas Mavericks, Charles Barkley quickly gave them the nod as the ‘clear favorite’ in the Western Conference (via NBA on TNT).
"This team is the best in the West by far"
Chuck is ready to put the house on OKC 😳 pic.twitter.com/f9kvgbHtGg
— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) December 11, 2024
Talking on Inside the NBA, the Hall of Famer explained that once Chet Holmgren returns, this team can throw multiple looks at any team they come across.
While Holmgren isn’t a small player by any means, he’s not a bruising big man, so Barkley believes they can spread the floor with a “small” lineup with him.
Then, if a team goes big, they can match size with size by starting Isaiah Hartenstein.
Last season was a test run for this team.
They got the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference, but their lack of size was a major issue in the playoffs, leading to their loss to the Mavericks.
Now, with Hartenstein in town, this team has no glaring flaws.
The Thunder are uber-athletic and have multiple shot-makers.
They can also dominate inside, and they feature multiple great defenders.
Coach Daigneault has also earned the benefit of the doubt as a tactician, and they have a top-ten – maybe even top-five – player in the game right now.
There’s nothing not to like about this team.
NEXT: Mark Daigneault Reveals Injury Update On Chet Holmgren