In an unforgettable exchange on The Stephen A. Smith Show, Los Angeles Clippers’ superstar guard-forward Paul George left Stephen A. Smith in hysterics with his spot-on Charles Barkley impersonation. The light-hearted moment came when Smith challenged George to answer a question about the Clippers’ prospects in Barkley’s distinctive style.
Paul George, sounding precisely like Charles Barkley, responded with humor and flair. In his imitation of Barkley, George confidently predicted the Clippers would finish second in the Western Conference if they maintained their health and performance on both ends of the court.
Paul George (or maybe Charles Barkley) said the following on the Clippers’ championship prospects this season on The Stephen A. Smith Show:
Paul George and Kawhi Leonard are two of the best players that I’ve seen play together, okay? I got the two brothers I got them finished in top three, if those guys play both ends the way they do? Imma go out and say they finish second in the west.
On a more serious note, however, George said the Denver Nuggets were the defending champions after all and gave credit where it’s due. However, he still emphasized that a healthy Clippers team has one of the best chances at winning it all this season.
Recently the Clippers overcame a 12-point fourth-quarter deficit to beat the Golden State Warriors 130-125 in a thrilling comeback. Despite Kawhi Leonard being out of the game due to an injury, Norman Powell’s last-minute heroics and PG’s 24 points proved fatal for the Dubs, ending their four-game winning streak.
Charles Barkley is all in on the Los Angeles Clippers, calling them the “scariest team in the West.” And, you know, given their recent upswing — they’ve clawed their way up to a solid 21-12 record, landing them fourth in the Western Conference — it’s hard not to sit up and take notice.
Charles Barkley thinks the Clippers are the scariest team in the Western Conference (ESPN)Barkley’s got his reasons, and they’re not just throwaway comments. He’s big on Kawhi Leonard and claims he’s top five in the world if healthy. Still hung up on what could have been last year if it wasn’t for his injury, Leonard is now in fine form, and the likes of Paul George, James Harden, and Russell Westbrook are there to back him up.
But it’s not just about the star-studded lineup for Barkley. He’s casting a doubtful eye on the rest of the Western Conference pack. Calling out the Los Angeles Lakers and Phoenix Suns as “disappointing” and waving off the Minnesota Timberwolves, Barkley’s making it clear: he sees the Clippers not just as contenders, but as the main threat to the Nuggets’ throne.
