The Timberwolves rolled over the Nuggets, 106-80, in Monday night’s Game 2 on Monday night to take a commanding 2-0 lead in the West semis as the series shifts to Minnesota for Game 3 on Friday night.
The defending champion Nuggets were outplayed from the opening whistle and are now on the ropes after dropping the first two games at home. After the loss, head coach Michael Malone blasted his team for an embarrassing effort. He’ll need Nikola Jokic and Co. to step up quickly or their season could come to an abrupt end against Anthony Edwards and the red-hot Timberwolves.
Charles Barkley thinks this series is already over, as he said this on TNT’s postgame show:
Chuck: “This series is a wrap. Minnesota is better than the Nuggets. They don’t have an advantage anywhere. … They’re gonna sweep the Denver Nuggets. Period.” 🗣️ pic.twitter.com/Wt4aqexO1n
Charles Barkley has become a big hockey fan over the years so it wasn't much of a surprise to see him at Monday night's Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Final in Florida. It was fun to see him hop on ESPN's studio show between the first and second periods, where Steve Levy quickly made a joke about Barkley's job status.
It was also fun to see Barkley on the Hockey Night in Canada broadcast, where he was interviewed on live TV and made the small mistake of dropping an F-bomb while talking about the play of Florida Panthers goalie Sergei Bobrovsky. Barkley quickly apologized.
The NBA legend remains to be must-see TV wherever he goes (warning: there's a bad word in this clip):
TNT basketball broadcaster Charles Barkley joined Sports Illustrated's Jimmy Traina on the SI Media podcast this week to discuss a host of topics, including an incredible story between the exchange of a watch between Barkley and future Hall of Fame quarterback Tom Brady.
"[Brady] and Wayne Gretzky are the two nicest GOATs [Greatest of All-Time] I've ever been around," Barkley began. "As a matter of fact, see this watch here? I've been offered $250,000 for this watch," Barkley told Traina.
"So I'm broadcasting one of the [TNT golf matches for charity], probably four or five years ago, I make a nice comment about this watch and this watch is a pretty penny. I'm talking double-digit thousands. I said, 'That's a nice watch.' He says, 'Thanks, Chuck,' blah blah blah. We do the broadcast another two or three hours. One of Tom's boys comes up to me and he says, 'Hey Tom is looking for you.' ...I go up [to the clubhouse] and I say, 'Tom, what's up?' And he says, 'Chuck, take my watch.' I go, 'What?' I said, 'Tom, I'm just saying you have a nice watch.' [He says], 'I appreciate the compliment,' and he just gives me this watch. A couple of collectors have offered me $250,000 for it. I wouldn't sell it for any amount. That's what a guy Tom is. Him and Wayne Gretzky for being the GOATs of their sports are two of the nicest, most humble guys I ever met."
Barkley said it was never his intention for Brady to give him his watch.
"I didn't want him to think I gave him a compliment on the watch because I wanted the watch," Barkley added. "It was a nice watch. I said, 'Tom, you don't have to do that.' But when he said it a second time, I said thank you."
It's clear there is a healthy amount of mutual respect between two all-time greats in their respective sports, but it's pretty wild that Brady handed over a watch that is being appraised for a quarter of a million dollars.
Charles Barkley is never afraid to share his opinion on just about everything, which makes him one of the best analysts, and personalities, on television.
He continued that during Wednesday night's Inside the NBA when he took a minute to bash analysts on other networks who have been taking shots at Los Angeles Lakers coach Darvin Ham and Phoenix Suns coach Frank Vogel after their teams were bounced from the playoffs.
Barkley isn't a fan of the way other people on other sports shows have been talking about Ham and Vogel, and he didn't hold back with his feelings, calling those people "cowards" and "jackasses."
Both Ham and Vogel could very well be fired after their poor playoff performances. And it seems like Barkley wouldn't be a fan of either of those moves happening.
