"Must have laid off a bit on those donuts": NBA fans in splits after Charles Barkley beats Kenny Smith on the board 

Charles Barkley is often the butt of jokes on Inside the NBA, but every now and then, he puts his colleagues in their place — even if it means breaking a sweat.

During TNT's halftime coverage of Thursday’s game between the Atlanta Hawks and Cleveland Cavaliers, Ernie Johnson engaged in banter with Kenny Smith to set up The Jet’s video breakdown on the massive screen several feet away.

After briefly commenting on Hawks rookie Zaccharie Risacher, Smith started sprinting to the board. To his surprise, the Chuckster left his seat too.

It was a tight race, but footage clearly showed that Barkley touched the screen first. Johnson and Shaquille O'Neal congratulated Chuck as Smith, trying to laugh off his latest "loss," attempted to catch his breath. Barkley’s competitive board run had social media in stitches:

"Chuck must (have) laid off a bit on the donuts," one fan said.

"Oh s**t chuck won the race lol," another said.

"Chuck ran to the board like he was trying to get outta San Antonio," another added.

Other online users focused on the distinct gait that Smith has long been known for:

"Kenny with them cookout knees #iykyk" one said.

"Kenny running like he got 2 pulled hamstrings," another quipped.

This failed attempt to be the first to the board is yet another scene in which The Jet got outrun by folks in Studio J. Throughout the illustrious history of TNT's NBA coverage, Smith has been beaten to the board by EJ, Shaq, and even the TV crew who once decided to collectively defeat the Jet.

Charles Barkley takes digs at Steve Kerr's decision to bench Jayson Tatum in the Olympics

Barkley's humor takes many forms. Sometimes, he opts for slapstick, like racing to the board. Other times, he delivers sarcasm laced with criticism.

During the announcement of the 2025 All-Star starters on Jan. 23, Barkley took a playful jab at Steve Kerr’s infamous decision to bench Jayson Tatum in two games during the 2024 Olympic men's basketball tournament:

"Great player, just not good enough to play in the Olympics," Barkley said of Tatum. "One of the five best in the East, but not good enough to represent his country."

The Chuckster isn’t exactly known for making positive comments about Kerr’s Golden State Warriors, either. In other words, Barkley’s playful digs spare no one.