Los Angeles Clippers Draw 1 Bold Western Conference Claim From Charles Barkley 1 Feb 16, 2013; Houston, TX, USA; TNT broadcaster Shaquille O’Neal (left) and Charles Barkley talk during the 2013 NBA All-Star slam dunk contest at the Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports

Los Angeles Clippers Draw 1 Bold Western Conference Claim From Charles Barkley

Originally posted on Hardwood Heroics | By Jordan Samar | Last updated Apr 11, 2025 10:45 AM ET

NBA analyst Charles Barkley believes the Los Angeles Clippers deserve more recognition this season, so much so that he ranks them second behind the West-leading Oklahoma City Thunder.

“I’m going to say something crazy,” Barkley said on NBA on TNT. “The Clippers might be the second-best team in the West.”

Barkley then praised Kawhi Leonard for his “amazing” ability to play high-level basketball despite being in and out of the lineup due to load management.

Los Angeles Clippers Draw 1 Bold Western Conference Claim From Charles Barkley 2 Jan 4, 2025; Inglewood, California, USA; Los Angeles Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard (2) controls the ball against Atlanta Hawks guard Trae Young (11) during the first quarter at Intuit Dome. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images

Besides Leonard, the Los Angeles Clippers have benefitted from the solid performances of James Harden, Ivica Zubac, and Norman Powell, among others, making them a dangerous team in the Western Conference.

Los Angeles Clippers News: James Harden reflects on the team’s 2024-25 regular season

The Los Angeles Clippers are fifth in the Western Conference at 48-32 and can leapfrog the fourth-seeded Denver Nuggets in the standings if they take care of business in their last two games. Regardless of what happens in the next few days, James Harden is proud of how far his team has come this year.

Jan 21, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Clippers guard James Harden (1) reacts after forward Kawhi Leonard (2) scores three point basket against the Brooklyn Nets during the second half at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

“Coming into this season, it was no expectations for this team for real. You look at the standings, they predicted us to be 13th seed or 12th seed in the West. Being around these guys from day one, it started in Arizona when I put the minicamp together. And then going into training camp and seeing we got something special. We got some dogs in this locker room,” Harden said via SI’s Joey Linn.

“Here we are with an opportunity to be top 4-5 seed in the West and have a pretty good run in this postseason. They’ve impacted me in a positive way. They’ve made me lock in on both ends of the ball. And really just have that competitive mindset to want to go out and do whatever it takes to win. And that’s the beauty of a team,” he concluded.