TNT NBA analyst Charles Barkley wasn’t very high on the Boston Celtics’ chances of winning the Eastern Conference after Gordon Hayward’s season-being injury in October.
Barkley also picked the Celtics to lose in the first round of the NBA playoffs to the Milwaukee Bucks.
But it seems the Basketball Hall of Famer is warming up to the idea of the C’s representing the Eastern Conference in the 2018 NBA Finals.
“If they go to seven Boston’s going to win,” Barkley said during TNT’s coverage of Game 4 of the Western Conference finals Tuesday night.
“I think whoever wins (Game 5) is going to win that series, whether it’s Boston or Cleveland. Cleveland is not going to win Game 7 back in Boston. I thought this was a pick ‘em series when it started. …”
Barkley later said he thinks the Celtics will win in seven games.
"If it goes to seven, Boston is going to win. Cleveland is not going to win Game 7 back in Boston."
Chuck on the ECF pic.twitter.com/nPy3UKFSTi
— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) May 23, 2018
The Celtics and Cavs are deadlocked at two games apiece entering Wednesday night’s Game 5 of the Eastern Conference finals at TD Garden in Boston.
The Celtics are 9-0 at home in the playoffs, including a pair of impressive wins to begin this series. But after two wins by the Cavs in Cleveland, including a 30-point rout in Game 3, many are picking LeBron James and the Cavaliers to emerge victorious.
James’ stats in Game 7s are legendary, so it would be tough to pick against him if the series goes the distance. He’s currently 1-1 in his career versus Boston in Game 7s, including a loss at the Garden in 2008.
