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Charles Barkley Furious With NBA Playoff Schedule Decision

Originally posted on The Spun | By Kameron Duncan | Last updated Apr 24, 2025 5:00 PM ET

The NBA Playoffs are in full swing, and nearly all of the series in the Western conference have been competitive to open the first round. The Clippers-Nuggets, Lakers-Timberwolves and Warriors-Rockets series are all tied 1-1 after exciting opening games.

The same can't be said for the series between the Memphis Grizzlies and Oklahoma City Thunder. The Thunder were the best team in the NBA this season, and they've looked like it so far in the playoffs. Oklahoma City defeated Memphis by 51 in Game 1, and followed that performance with a 118-99 win in Game 2.

The series shifts to Memphis on Thursday night, and Game 3 will be on TNT - much to the surprise and dismay of Charles Barkley.

“Are y'all serious right now… y'all got the best series going on NBA TV.”

Charles Barkley was not impressed that the Memphis-Thunder game is on TNT over the Clippers-Nuggets game

(via @NBAonTNT)pic.twitter.com/fQpfV1cf3W
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) April 24, 2025

“Are y'all serious right now?," Barkley asked, as the Thursday night slate was revealed.

Game 3 of an incredibly competitive series between the Denver Nuggets and Los Angeles Clippers will be on NBA TV, while TNT will have another presumed blowout in Thunder-Grizzlies.

“Y'all got the Clippers, the best series going, on NBA TV instead of here? Come on Kenny [Smith]. Who made that decision? They’ve had the two best games by far. And we ain’t going to be there. Come on man."

Barkley continued to make his point, and Smith offered a solution. Since the games are only a half hour apart, there's no reason why the game couldn't be flexed to a different network. Both games are produced by Turner, and the Clippers/Nuggets game could be moved to the same time.

Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (15) and forward Peyton Watson (8) look on from the sideline in the second quarter against the Minnesota Timberwolves at Ball Arena.Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

“Whoever made that decision is just stupid… I mean seriously. You’re scheduling these games, you’re like, ‘No, you know what, them other two games have been great, great basketball like the Joker said. Let’s go show the game where the team got beat by 75,” Barkley said.

It's unlikely that Barkley's concerns are entirely with ratings - the NFL Draft is likely to win the night on Thursday anyway - but he'd rather see the flagship network get the best game.

During TNT's final season of NBA coverage, that seems like a reasonable request to make.

This article first appeared on The Spun and was syndicated with permission.

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