Charles Barkley was left speechless by his co-host Ernie Johnson after his comments about the Indiana Pacers. Indiana advanced to the NBA In-Season Tournament semifinals in hopes of winning the NBA Cup by beating the Boston Celtics 122-112 on Monday.
Tyrese Haliburton led the Pacers in his second nationally televised game. He put up his first career triple-double with 26 points, 10 rebounds and 13 assists. His game was commended by other stars and even former NBA players.
Barkley watched the action from the TNT studio and saw the entire action unfold. The former Phoenix Suns star reflected on the action and commented about the excitement that the Pacers displayed on national TV.
"We talked a little bit last night," Barkley said. "They were excited to be on TV."
Explore the NBA Draft 2024 with our free NBA Mock Draft Simulator & be the GM of your favorite NBA team.
Hilariously, Johnson added something that left Chuck speechless.
"Kind of like you every night. ... Kinda," Johnson said.
Johnson was slightly taking a jab at Chuck's tendency to talk over the other hosts and spend a good amount of airtime giving his take. This has led to some outbursts from former LA Lakers superstar Shaquille O'Neal being disappointed when they run out of time to talk.
Good thing the Round Mound of Rebound has improved in sharing the show's airtime with his colleagues now.
You might also be interested in reading this: "Gonna win the championship": Charles Barkley 'guarantees' Boston Celtics' record 18th NBA title albeit glaring concern
Charles Barkley doesn't trust the Knicks to dominate the East
The New York Knicks have struggled with their star power over the past years. This season is no exception as their performances have remained stagnant this season. Charles Barkley isn't a strong believer in the Knicks' potential this season because they haven't added anyone significant over the past years.
"Ernie, the last three years. The Knicks got the same team, am I correct?" Barkley said. "They haven't added anything new. Thinking this move is gonna end differently, it's not gonna end differently. The Knicks need to make a trade because they're at best ... Boston, Milwaukee and Philly. They're on a whole level in the Eastern Conference."
Kenny Smith added that he thinks the Knicks (12-7) aren't better than their competitors.
"This is why the Knicks are gonna stay in the middle," Smith said. "Every game that they play, they always have the second-best player. You play Boston, you got the second- or third-best player. ... You don’t have the best player on the floor no night."
New York isn't a terrible team, but it hasn't added a superstar to its franchise since trading for Carmelo Anthony in the 2010-11 season.
Pacers Fan? Check out the latest Indiana Pacers depth chart, schedule, and roster updates all in one place.