The undefeated Cleveland Cavaliers have been rolling through the NBA in a manner not even the storied LeBron James and Kyrie Irving-led title-winning Cavs did back in 2016. The current Cavs have started out on fire, setting a franchise record for consecutive wins to begin a season at 12-0. (Notably, the NBA record for hot starts — 24 straight wins — belongs to the 2015-16 Golden State Warriors, who lost to the Cavs in the Finals.)
But even as Donovan Mitchell, Jarrett Allen, Evan Mobley and company stomp their way through the league under head coach Kenny Atkinson, TNT talking head and NBA legend Charles Barkley thinks the Cavs aren’t the best in the Eastern Conference.
Asked to name who is better than the Cavaliers, leaving the defending champion Boston Celtics out of the equation, Barkley disrespected the Cavs and answered with a team that has lost the same number of games it has won — the .500 New York Knicks. Yup, Barkley’s answer to who is better than Cleveland is a Knicks team that has lost to the Rockets, the Pacers and, ahem, the Cavaliers.
Kenny “Take Boston out, who’s better than Cleveland in East?”
Chuck “Knicks”
Shaq “Stop it”
…
Chuck “If the Knicks get healthy they’re gonna be 2d best team in East”
Shaq “If schmif”
…
Chuck “Tellin ya…Gonna be tough to reckon with once they get healthy”
Shaq “Aw stop it” pic.twitter.com/cc9FCqvaNp
— New York Basketball (@NBA_NewYork) November 13, 2024
Though Shaquille O’Neal scoffed at his take, Barkley’s assertion is that the Knicks — when completely healthy — are more talented than the Cavaliers. Supporting Barkley’s claim, if not proving it, is the fact that Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau has been playing with a roster limited by the absence of defensive-minded center Mitchell Robinson and power forward Precious Achiuwa, impact players if not All-Stars who are both expected to return this season.
Barkley used gambling terminology to describe the Knicks current position, saying they are a going to be a “helluva play” — meaning the oddsmakers have underestimated their potential.