Charles Barkley was tired of waiting.
On Thursday night, after the Lakers’ 112-105 Game 3 loss to the Nuggets (losing Los Angeles to a 3-0 series first-round hole), Barkley gave LeBron James access to the media after the game. He expressed dissatisfaction with how long it took to get there.
“Are you going to stay watching TV until LeBron comes out of the shower? Because, you know, we have things to do,” Barkley said on TNT’s “Inside the NBA” after the game. Told. “It’s 1:19 p.m. [a.m. ET]. I’m going to sit here until LeBron comes out–LeBron, come out of the shower. ”
James had 26 points, nine assists and six rebounds, but it wasn’t enough to lead the Lakers to a much-needed Game 3 victory after they were swept by the Nuggets in last year’s Western Conference finals.
With Thursday’s loss, the Lakers have lost 11 straight games to the Nuggets.
Barkley teased the Lakers’ impending elimination and took a broom to the set to sweep the floor.
He certainly didn’t pull any punches.
“I’m talking about all the guys who were kissing the Lakers and Warriors all year and saying, ‘They’re going to win,'” Barkley said. “Do you know where they run off to? The Bahamas, Sunday morning. I’ve been saying that for a long time.
“The Lakers and Warriors both stink. So stop bragging about them.”
Berkeley also referred to James as “the little king,” desecrating James’ long-standing nickname, “King James.”
James himself maintained a positive attitude when he finally stepped out of the shower.
“It’s one game at a time at this point,” James said after the game. “…As long as I live, I’ll always have faith and play until the wheels fall off. That’s always been the important mindset for me.”
