Barkley to Bullets: You’re really, really stupid

April 16th, 2008 · No Comments

Sir Charles Barkley, the Round Mound of Rebound [don’t call him that to his face], the most entertaining basketball commentator in the English language, doesn’t like Washington’s chances against the Cleveland Traveliers. He thinks Deshawn Stevenson’s comments about Lebron James being “overrated” and Gilbert Arenas’ blog post about how the Bullets want the Cavs in the playoffs because it is tough to beat a team 3 times in a row in the postseason have unnecessarily aroused the righteous fury of King James, who will bring his hammer of justice down on the heads of anyone in a Bullets uniform.

“I think the Washington Wizards have got to be the dumbest team in the history of civilization,” the Basketball Hall of Famer and TNT announcer said during a conference call with reporters today.

…

“I think for them to rile up LeBron, who’s the second-best player we’ve got in the NBA . . . I think that’s just stupid,” Barkley said. “I thought [the Wizards] had a chance to win that series. I don’t think that any more.

“I think it would be totally different if they had the homecourt. But, for them to think they’re going to go into Cleveland . . . they just riled up LeBron, the Cavaliers and all the fans. I just think that was stupid.”

Barkley’s on-air partner, future Hall of Famer Reggie Miller, thinks Arenas, though, may have a point.

“If any series in the first round in the East is going to be compelling, it’s going to be Cleveland-Washington,” Miller said on the conference call. “This will be the third time in a row that they’ve faced one another. I’m going to tell you from playoff experience, it’s tough to beat a team three years in a row in the playoffs. . . . . I would not be surprised if Washington — with Gilbert Arenas coming back and a healthy Caron Butler and [Antawn] Jamison — that they beat Cleveland, because it’s tough to beat a team three years in a row in the playoffs.”

One piece of good news for Washington is that Cleveland guard Sasha Pavlovic, a long-bomber who has had some big games and made some big shots against the Bullets, is injured again. He’s got a sprained ankle and should be out 2 or 3 weeks. In other words, the Bullets won’t see him in their series against Cleveland.

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