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Charles Barkley and Kevin Durant have been involved in some back-and-forths on social media. The former NBA MVP has shared some of his views surrounding the first round of the playoffs series between the Brooklyn Nets and Boston Celtics. On “Inside the NBA” Barkley commented on Durant not being the Nets’ ”bus driver” in the series – provoking the two-time NBA champion.
Durant responded with photos of Barkley and his teammates, who he believed were the reason behind Barkley’s success in the league. Ernie Johnson of “Inside the NBA” – at the end of their segment the following day – arranged a bus for Charles Barkley to drive, right outside the studio.
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Ernie walked the crew to the bus outside, handing a pair of keys to Barkley, saying:
“Chuckster, I got the keys, and they’re yours. You’re the bus driver. We’re done with the show tonight, so you can take us home. It’s the Chuck Wagon.”
The bus was labeled “The Chuck Wagon”, with photos of the teammates Barkley has been with during his career. Barkley played along, enjoying what was planned by the crew – and drove the bus into a make-shift gate at the exit. The crew delivered again, with some classic banter that you can expect on their set.
Charles Barkley was a celebrated player in his day, making the All-Star team eleven times and was also inducted into the NBA Hall of Fame. His honors include a regular season MVP trophy, along with an All-Star MVP trophy, suggestive of the impact he’s had on the league. However, Barkley was never able to win the title, despite being on strong championship contending teams.
The closest he got to winning the title was against the Chicago Bulls in the 1993 NBA Playoffs, when Barkley played for the Phoenix Suns. Charles Barkley averaged a double-double in that series, with 27.3 points and 13 rebounds in six games. Michael Jordan led the Bulls to a three-peat after beating the Suns in six games.
Charles Barkley expected more from Kevin Durant in the playoffs
The Brooklyn Nets were overpowered by the Boston Celtics’ defense, that came in with an agenda to limit Kevin Durant’s output. Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum were especially good at shutting down Durant and forcing him to turn the ball over a lot.
The playoffs are where players get a chance to prove their worth, rising to the challenge when it matters the most. Charles Barkley’s comments arose out of Kevin Durant’s inability to be the team’s leader and deliver. Durant finished the series shooting 38.6% from the field and 33% from beyond the arc, producing nothing close to what he usually does.
The Brooklyn Nets are likely to retain their bets on Kevin Durant and build a team around him, partnering up with Kyrie Irving for a one-two punch. We can expect a major revamp in the roster, as expectations will rise within the franchise – after being swept in the first round of the playoffs.
