Charles Barkley is known for some of his biting analysis, but he whiffed with his commentary regarding Anthony Davis.
Barkley went hard on Davis Tuesday, sharing his disparaging nickname for the Los Angeles Lakers big man. Barkley calls Davis “Street Clothes” as a reference to Davis’ tendency to get injured.
Davis seems like he is dealing with one injury or another on a regular basis, so Barkley isn’t exactly off base. And Barkley is no stranger to making jokes at players’ expenses, so this isn’t new.
But where Barkley went wrong came with his commentary at halftime of Game 6 between the Lakers and Phoenix Suns in their first-round playoff series.
Charles Barkley rightfully called out the Lakers medical staff for letting Anthony Davis warm up and play#PHXvsLAL #NBAPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/BHx29Xd8AO
— Mike Mayer (@offthemike28) June 4, 2021
Davis, who missed Game 5 of the series due to a groin injury, tried to play in Game 6 with his Lakers facing elimination. It didn’t go well. Davis was hardly able to move well, clearly did not belong in the game, and only lasted five minutes before exiting.
Commentary like Barkley’s may have made Davis feel pressure to play through an injury when he really had no business playing. But then at halftime, Barkley put the blame on the Lakers’ medical staff for clearing Davis to play.
Given the way he mocked Davis, maybe Barkley should have praised Davis for trying to play.
