The Golden State Warriors defeated the Denver Nuggets Thursday night to take a commanding 3-0 series lead in the first round of the NBA’s Western Conference Playoffs.
And while I’m not personally interested in the outcome, a video clip from the Sports Emmy Award-winning Inside the NBA reminded me why I need to tune in to that show more often.
It’s a goldmine for entertaining NBA content, and the quartet of studio analysts Ernie Johnson, Kenny Smith, Charles Barkley, and Shaquille O’Neal are always a threat to drop an unexpectedly hilarious gem on you as you’re half-asleep on the couch on a Thursday night.
And that’s exactly what happened during the halftime show of the Warriors-Nuggets game, especially if you have the mind of a 13-year-old, like me.
Barkley tried to explain the physical play between former MVP big man Nikola Jokic of the Nuggets and his defender, Draymond Green of the Warriors. Jokic tried to back the smaller Green into the paint by using his 6’11”, 284lb frame as an advantage by banging into Green.
Here’s how Sir Charles described the matchup:
“When a guy’s bangin’ you… you spin off of him. Those are the worst defenders to play against actually, because if you can feel their body….”
After a couple of studio shots of Shaq and Kenny trying to stifle their laughter, TNT cut to commercial. Because if you’re TNT, you can’t show extended footage of your Emmy-winning team of former NBA stars giggling like 13-year-olds at Barkley’s blundering choice of words.
But I loved it, because when I’m half-asleep on the couch on a Thursday night mindlessly scrolling for entertainment, sophomoric humor works for me. Just like it worked for Shaq and Kenny Smith.
I might just watch that clip a few more dozen times…
My inner teenager just can’t get enough right now.
