Despite hosting a panel that includes three former NBA legends, TNT’s Inside The NBA has always been more about entertainment value than deeply esoteric conversations about stats and analysis. This rings especially true for the show’s two Hall of Fame co-hosts, Shaquille O’Neal and Charles Barkley. The two can often be reactionary and a bit ill-informed with their comments, especially when discussing the more unheralded names in the NBA.
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Prioritizing laughs and frequent jabs towards the league and its players have resulted in some around the league being rubbed the wrong way. This includes Cleveland Cavaliers forward Georges Niang, who was asked to respond to one of the Chuckster’s more outlandish comments regarding his lack of faith in the Cavs despite their early-season success.
In a recent interview with FanDuel TV’s Run It Back, the ninth-year sharpshooter disagreed that Cleveland’s hot start to the campaign was completely unforeseen. After the show’s co-host, Chandler Parsons, argued that no one expected the Cavs to be 19-3 through their first 22 games, he shared Barkley’s recent comment on the team.
“I don’t care about their record; I’m not drinking the juice on the Cavs,” Barkley said, emphasizing his lack of confidence in the up-and-coming Cleveland squad.
“Charles Barkley last night said, ‘I don’t care about their record. I’m not drinking the juice on the Cavs.'” – @ChandlerParsons
“He says a lot of crazy stuff. We’re not even gonna go down that road” – @GeorgesNiang20
https://t.co/nLky7dnUrn pic.twitter.com/fqBuQvuQHv
— Run It Back (@RunItBackFDTV) December 4, 2024
While Niang could have been disheartened at the bluntness in the legend’s statement, he knows that these precognitions from the 1993 MVP are nothing new. Instead, the Cleveland forward responded with a blunt comment of his own. “He says a lot of crazy stuff,” Niang replied to Parsons, holding back his laughter.
It may not be true that ‘no one’ expected this great of a start from the Cavs this season as Parsons said. Cleveland won over 50 games last year and only expected more internal growth. However, there have been other notable doubts surrounding the Cavs regarding the team’s decision to make a head coaching change.
O’Neal was among those who questioned the franchise’s decision to part ways with J.B. Bickerstaff, now the head coach of the Detroit Pistons, in favor of a veteran on the league’s coaching carousel in Kenny Atkinson.
Shaquille O’Neal doesn’t believe Kenny Atkinson is elevating the Cavaliers
After 12 straight victories during Cleveland’s franchise-best start, ‘The Diesel’ wasn’t shy about sharing who was doing the heavy lifting to make their undefeated start possible. Shaq didn’t believe the team’s new bench boss was contributing much to the Cavs’ historic opening to the year, as he shared on a recent postgame edition of Inside The NBA.
“Pfft, he ain’t doing nothing, Donovan Mitchell is playing.” O’Neal said sharply following a close Cavs’ victory over the Chicago Bulls.
It would seemingly be a difficult task to put any individual down on the Cavaliers organization considering the team’s consistent dominance and NBA-leading record. However, the Big Fella found a way. Considering Atkinson’s lengthy track record as a steadying locker room presence, he seems to be a perfect fit in Cleveland so far.
If things ever do unravel in The Land this season, maybe there will be more validity in Shaq and Chuck’s lack of faith in the Cavaliers and their head coach.
