NBA commentator Charles Barkley didn’t hold back in expressing his opinion on the San Antonio Spurs’ disappointing loss in Game 4 of the NBA Finals.
Barkley called the Spurs “the stupidest basketball team in the history of civilization” after they blew a 29-point lead on Wednesday, June 10.
The Spurs had a chance to tie the series at 2-2, but the Knicks stole it late and now hold a commanding lead in the series, 3-1.
“That was the most mismanaged, stupidest basketball game,” Barkley said on the postgame show “Inside the NBA.” “When you blow a 29-point lead, the other team has to help you out. The San Antonio Spurs helped the New York Knicks win this game by doing some of the stupidest things I’ve ever seen on a basketball court.”
The Spurs found success early in the first half, setting an NBA Finals record with 14 made threes (on 26 attempts).
San Antonio didn’t have the same luck in the second half, struggling from long range. The team made 3 of 17 shots from deep in the second half.
The Spurs missed nine of those three shots in the third quarter, allowing the Knicks to capitalize on missed opportunities and claw their way back into the game.
“They played terrible basketball,” Shaquille O’Neal said on the show. “They were happy with the lead and were talking about going back to San Antonio, but they didn’t play smart.”
The Knicks returned to the locker room at halftime trailing 76-49, but outscored the Spurs 58-30 in the second half.
