"Come out and play Charles Barkley": Lakers fans shade former MVP for 'not contenders' remark after LA climbs to No. 2 in West standings

LA Lakers fans on X (formerly Twitter) were in a celebratory mood after their team climbed to the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference with a 108-102 win over the LA Clippers on Sunday, marking their sixth straight victory. Amid the excitement, some fans had words for former MVP Charles Barkley, who had labeled the Lakers as non-contenders due to their age.

"I think they're solid," Barkley said in late February. "I don't think they're a contender. ... Listen man, they were awful to start the season — they've been awful for the last two or three years, in fairness. Luka is an upgrade, but I still don't think they are on the same level as the [Denver] Nuggets."

The Lakers have been on an absolute tear, winning 11 straight games against teams with records of .500 or better. Their streak even included a statement win over the Nuggets, handing Denver their worst loss of the season and snapping their nine-game win streak.

“Come out and play Charles Barkley. You dumb a**,” one fan said.

Another sarcastically referenced Barkley’s skepticism, saying:

“NoT cOnTeNdErS."

“I was told they sucked by NBA media lmao,” another said.

Some Lakers fans were in disbelief at their team sitting 17 games over .500, a stark contrast to last season. For context, through 59 games under Darvin Ham last year, the Lakers were just 31-28.

“THE LUKA EFFECT,” one said.

“Just give us the championship already,” another commented.

“I used to pray for times like this,” another added.

Luka Doncic shines as Lakers hold off Clippers for sixth straight win

Luka Doncic continues to find his rhythm, delivering a game-high 29 points and nine assists to lead the Lakers past the Clippers in a hard-fought 108-102 victory on Sunday night.

The Lakers led by as many as 21 points, but the Clippers refused to go away, going on multiple runs that the Lakers had to fend off to secure the win.

Doncic was on fire from deep, hitting five 3-pointers — his most since joining the Lakers. Dalton Knecht provided a spark off the bench, tallying 19 points and five triples, while LeBron James contributed 17 points and nine assists.

The Lakers continue their tough stretch with upcoming matchups against the New Orleans Pelicans on Tuesday and the New York Knicks on Thursday.

After that, they hit the road for four games, facing elite competition in the Boston Celtics, Milwaukee Bucks and Denver Nuggets.