Did Charles Barkley put a hex on the Knicks?
The NBA analyst declared the series over at halftime of Game 3 as the Knicks held a 2-0 series advantage over the Spurs. By the end of the game, the Knicks had fallen 115-111 and the Knicks’ NBA Finals lead was cut in half.
“Listen, man, I told you tonight, this series is a wrap,” Barkley proclaimed during the “Inside the NBA” segment at the half, with the Knicks leading 64-57.
“Oh hell yeah,” he responded when someone attempted to clarify and ask if he thought the series was over. “I think it’s over.”
The bold prediction seemed to catch the rest of the panel off guard.
“I’ll put my house against your little house,” Barkley fired off after Shaquille O’Neal suggested they put a wager down since he was so confident.
Things didn’t go exactly as Barkley expected as the Spurs regained the lead against a Knicks team that shot 25 percent from 3-point range in the second half and just 36 percent from the field.
And the prognostication led basketball fans to poke fun at Sir Charles online.
“And this why he never won a ring,” one person wrote on X.
“Chuck ‘guarantees’ stay the worst curse of all time,” another social media user chimed in with crying laughing emojis.
“Knew Spurs were good after this,” a third person wrote.
Barkley couldn’t escape being called out on air, either, with his analysis being thrown in his face postgame — and Shaq ready to accept payment.
“I thought the Spurs were gonna lose,” Barkley said.
“Gimme the damn keys to that house today,” Shaq told him, adding, “Usually when we talk about realty, it’s a 10-day close — I want your ass out my house tomorrow.”
Game 4 of the NBA Finals will take place on Wednesday as the Knicks look to take a 3-1 lead and keep the Spurs from getting back into the series.
Otherwise, there may be some very angry Knicks fans looking for Barkley.
[Notigroup Newsroom in collaboration with other media outlets, with information from the following sources]
