NBA on TNT/Twitter
TNT’s “Inside the NBA” postgame coverage went off the rails on Tuesday following the Cleveland Cavaliers’ Game 4 over the Boston Celtics as Shaquille O’Neal and Charles Barkley traded barbs.
That in itself is not all that rare, but this particular segment got particularly sidetracked when O’Neal claimed Barkley can’t discuss the NBA Finals because he only made it once in his career (and lost).
Barkley responded that he only made fewer Finals appearances because he wasn’t riding the “coattails” of Kobe Bryant and Dwyane Wade. As O’Neal tried to continue speaking, Barkley continued “And Alonzo Mourning, I forgot about him. And Rick Fox.”
The exchange quickly got heated (in O’Neal and Barkley’s typically humorous fashion) as O’Neal said people question why Barkley is in the Hall of Fame. When host Ernie Johnson asked why it turned so personal, O’Neal said, “Because Chuck always interrupts me. Don’t interrupt me, Chuck, I’m gonna punch you right in the face one day.”
Barkley then threatened, “I’m gonna throw one of these chicken wings at your fat ass.”
The dispute only seemed to cool when neither player would throw food at the other for fear of staining Kenny Smith’s white suit.
Just another day on the “Inside the NBA” set. Watch the clip below:
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