‘Anthony Davis is not the reason Lakers suck’ claims Charles Barkley in NBA on TNT debate with Shaq ahead of playoffs
NBA legend Charles Barkley has leaped to the defense of Los Angeles Lakers star Anthony Davis. With two games left to go until the NBA Playoffs, the Lakers face the potential of a Play-In matchup against the Golden State Warriors in San Francisco. NBA on TNT‘Anthony Davis is not the reason Lakers suck’ Charles Barkley claimed on NBA on TNT[/caption] NBA on TNTShaquille O’Neal questioned Barkley on who is to blame for Los Angeles’ issues if not Davis, to which he responded, ‘The rest of them’[/caption] GettyBarkley said he felt Davis had enjoyed ‘an All-NBA season’[/caption] Should that be the case, Barkley favors the Lakers, thanks in no small part to nine-time All-Star Davis. “I’d go with the Lakers in that game,” he told his NBA on TNT colleagues. “I think the size of Anthony Davis, they won’t be able to match up with.” Later, Barkley added that he felt Davis has enjoyed “an All-NBA season.” “I thought AD, he’s answered all of his critics this year. He’s played fantastic.” Kenny Smith, however, remained unconvinced, despite Davis’ impressive averages of 24.5 points, 12.6 rebounds, 3.5 assists, and 2.4 blocks across 74 games. He noted that the Lakers remain the 10th seed in the West, suggesting Davis can’t have had a “fantastic” season given their standing, compared to Nikola Jokic of the top-seeded Denver Nuggets, who he did feel has been “fantastic.” After Ernie Johnson backed up Barkley’s stance that Davis has had an impressive year, he replied, “Thank you!” before telling Smith to, “Stop being a hater.” “I’m not a hater I’m just saying, isn’t it relative?” Smith asked. ‘Anthony Davis is not the reason the Lakers suck,” Barkley retorted, to which Shaquille O’Neal responded by asking “Who is?” “The rest of them,” Barkley said, prompting laughter from his colleagues. Viewers were quick to weigh in on Barkley’s brutal comments about the Lakers. “[Head coach] Darvin Ham is the reason they ‘suck’,” one tweeted. “Correct answer here is coaching and perimeter defense,” a second said. NBA on TNTKenny Smith (second from the right) didn’t see eye to eye with Barkley when it came to his high praise of Davis[/caption] “No. It’s Darvin Ham and nothing else,” added a third. While another suggested, “The Lakers’ only chance of winning anything lies on the back of AD and it always has. “He is the best 2-way player on his team and possibly the league. [The] Lakers go as far as AD takes them. “Look at Lakers record without LeBron [James] this year and then flip to when they without AD.” Unfortunately for Lakers fans, O’Neal wasn’t optimistic about their chances in San Francisco should that prove to be their destination. “Golden State at home playing against one of the greatest NBA players, I think the fans would be pumped up, I think the crowd would be pumped up, and I think Klay [Thompson] would be pumped up,” O’Neal predicted. The Sacramento Kings, Warriors, and Lakers all currently sit at 45-35 with two regular season games remaining. GettyDavis and LeBron James’ Lakers are heading to the Play-Ins where they could face the Golden State Warriors[/caption]
NBA legend Charles Barkley has leaped to the defense of Los Angeles Lakers star Anthony Davis.
With two games left to go until the NBA Playoffs, the Lakers face the potential of a Play-In matchup against the Golden State Warriors in San Francisco.
Should that be the case, Barkley favors the Lakers, thanks in no small part to nine-time All-Star Davis.
“I’d go with the Lakers in that game,” he told his NBA on TNT colleagues.
“I think the size of Anthony Davis, they won’t be able to match up with.”
Later, Barkley added that he felt Davis has enjoyed “an All-NBA season.”
“I thought AD, he’s answered all of his critics this year. He’s played fantastic.”
Kenny Smith, however, remained unconvinced, despite Davis’ impressive averages of 24.5 points, 12.6 rebounds, 3.5 assists, and 2.4 blocks across 74 games.
He noted that the Lakers remain the 10th seed in the West, suggesting Davis can’t have had a “fantastic” season given their standing, compared to Nikola Jokic of the top-seeded Denver Nuggets, who he did feel has been “fantastic.”
After Ernie Johnson backed up Barkley’s stance that Davis has had an impressive year, he replied, “Thank you!” before telling Smith to, “Stop being a hater.”
“I’m not a hater I’m just saying, isn’t it relative?” Smith asked.
‘Anthony Davis is not the reason the Lakers suck,” Barkley retorted, to which Shaquille O’Neal responded by asking “Who is?”
“The rest of them,” Barkley said, prompting laughter from his colleagues.
Viewers were quick to weigh in on Barkley’s brutal comments about the Lakers.
“[Head coach] Darvin Ham is the reason they ‘suck’,” one tweeted.
“Correct answer here is coaching and perimeter defense,” a second said.
“No. It’s Darvin Ham and nothing else,” added a third.
While another suggested, “The Lakers’ only chance of winning anything lies on the back of AD and it always has.
“He is the best 2-way player on his team and possibly the league. [The] Lakers go as far as AD takes them.
“Look at Lakers record without LeBron [James] this year and then flip to when they without AD.”
Unfortunately for Lakers fans, O’Neal wasn’t optimistic about their chances in San Francisco should that prove to be their destination.
“Golden State at home playing against one of the greatest NBA players, I think the fans would be pumped up, I think the crowd would be pumped up, and I think Klay [Thompson] would be pumped up,” O’Neal predicted.
The Sacramento Kings, Warriors, and Lakers all currently sit at 45-35 with two regular season games remaining.
