Charles Barkley blasts critics of Thunder’s Victor Wembanyama approach

It’s just been two games, but the Western Conference Finals have been an incredibly physical affair. The Oklahoma City Thunder and the San Antonio Spurs haven’t shied away from the physicality of the sport, using their bodies to disrupt the opposing team’s best players. OKC, in particular, has seemingly implemented a Jordan Rules-esque game plan against Victor Wembanyama.

The Thunder’s strategy to get physical with Wembanyama at every opportunity possible is getting on a lot of fans’ nerves. Already one of the most hated teams in the league, OKC’s getting a ton of flak for this strategy. Charles Barkley talked about these detractors, saying that this style of play is normal in the playoffs.

“You people at home and TV talking about they were physical with Wemby, man y’all need to stop it,” Barkley said on the Inside the NBA show. “I’ve been kissed harder…. There was no excessive fouls. For you people thinking that’s physicality, y’all need to shut the hell up!”

Wembanyama towers over almost everyone on the Thunder. At 7’4 with a huge wingspan, the Frenchman presents a clear matchup problem for Oklahoma City. However, there are more than a few ways to counter Wembanyama’s length. The Thunder have decidedly tried their hardest to keep Wembanyama out of the paint and force him to beat them from the outside. That includes getting physical with the star and pushing him off his spots.

Is it an ugly strategy to watch for Spurs fans? Yes, but the Thunder aren’t employing a new game plan. Many teams have done this to other stars. The Jordan Rules stemmed from the Detroit Pistons bumping out a slightly frailer Michael Jordan in the late 80s. Other players have experienced the same thing: Stephen Curry got that treatment in 2016. The physicality also simply rises up in the playoffs, and referees are less inclined to call these as fouls.

The Thunder have evened up the series 1-1 after winning Game 2. Now, the series shifts to San Antonio for the next two games. Have the Thunder finally figured out how to beat their kryptonite?

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