The Chuckster is at it again. On Day 1 of the 2020-21 NBA season, Hall of Famer Charles Barkley made another bold, yet familiar, prediction on TNT: the Portland Trail Blazers are winning the Western Conference. The former league MVP even placed a hefty bet, a hundred grand at that, for Portland to make the Finals.
Watch Chuck make his declaration below:
Chuck is putting his money where his mouth is đâď¸ pic.twitter.com/3gWG7O44Lr
â NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) December 23, 2020
We have heard this kind of Blazers love from Barkley before. It's almost becoming an annual tradition. The Round Mound of Rebound penciled in the Blazers as NBA Finalists last season. He even doubled down on his prediction even though Portland entered the playoffs as the No. 8 seed in the Western Conference.
After the Blazers won Game 1 of their first-round series against the eventual champion Los Angeles Lakers, Barkley infamously brought out his broom, predicting a Blazers sweep. Of course, as it turned out, the Lakers won the next four games and eventually took home the NBA title. While it's easy to roll your eyes at Barkley for this, perhaps the former league MVP may have a valid argument this upcoming campaign.
The Blazers did an amazing job in the offseason to address their lack of depth last season. They acquired defensive-minded wings in Robert Covington and Derrick Jones Jr., as well as a steady backup big in former center Enes Kanter. In addition, they also retained Rodney Hood and veteran star Carmelo Anthony, who could thrive in a sixth-man role for them this year. Of course, they will be led by franchise superstar Damian Lillard, along with borderline All-Stars in CJ McCollum and a healthy Jusuf Nurkic.
The Blazers may not be the outright favorite, with the Lakers holding that title and the Los Angeles Clippers not far behind. But with their current cast entering this 2020-21 campaign, Portland could emerge as real dark-horse contenders for the 2021 crown.
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