i didn't hear/see this claim made, so i can't really speak to the context or CHARLES' reasoning (misnomer?) ... but i believe the statment to be sound.
despite the collapse of the last Suns game...
going through the Suns...and the winners of the Memphis/Clippers series does not seem at all out of reach. that would get us into the conference finals. which by default, being one of the last 4 teams alive qualifies as being a "contender" in my mind.
and though not at the calibre of the remaining teams, in theory...whoever we would face in the conference finals would be more "battered" than ourselves. presumably.
its a stretch for sure. but i'm a red sox fan. unlikelier things have happened.