It's far too early to be making any sweeping declarations regarding the NBA championship picture. After all, it is only November, and some teams haven't even played more than 10 games yet. But for Charles Barkley, he believes that the San Antonio Spurs, who are off to a 10-2 start to the new campaign after taking a 124-119 win over the Chicago Bulls on Wednesday, are the head and shoulders favorite to win it all.
According to Barkley, he believes that the Spurs should be poised to climb the mountaintop of the NBA, especially when their biggest contender, the Oklahoma City Thunder, have experienced a deluge of soul-crushing injury woes.
“With the injuries in OKC, the Spurs are the team to beat in the NBA. Unless OKC makes a trade, I don't see any team that's in their league right now, East or West. They are the best team. I thought it was OKC. Now, with the injuries, it is the Spurs' thing to win now,” Barkley said on Wednesday's Inside the NBA on ESPN.
Victor Wembanyama has been unstoppable to begin the new season; after putting up 32 points, nine rebounds, and five blocks in their win over the Bulls, he is now averaging 30.3 points, 11.7 rebounds, and 4.4 blocks in 12 games thus far this season.
The Spurs arguably have the best player in the NBA today, and their high defensive floor combined with their considerable offensive upside should make them a force to be reckoned with.
Health permitting, the Spurs are going to be, at the minimum, a tough out in the playoffs. Remember, this team appeared to be on the cusp of winning a title. They held a double-digit lead in all five games in the 2026 NBA Finals, only to blow them on four separate occasions — losing the title to the New York Knicks in the process.
If they learn from last season's mistakes and keep on doing what they've been doing thus far this season, the runway is clear for this young Spurs team to get over the hump.