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USA Today Sports Media Group
USA Today Sports Media Group
Sport
Andy Nesbitt

‘Inside the NBA’s’ latest prank of Charles Barkley shows again why they’re the best

This is the online version of our daily newsletter, The Morning WinSubscribe to get irreverent and incisive sports stories, delivered to your mailbox every morning.

Over the years there have been hundreds of sports studio shows that have tried very hard to be good, only to fail because it’s really easy to see when they’re faking it.

There is only one of those shows that has ever been worth watching and that, of course, is the Inside the NBA crew on TNT. Ernie Johnson, Shaquille O’Neal, Kenny Smith, and Charles Barkley have long been the best to ever do these types of shows and with the NBA playoffs in full swing this is the best time of the year for them and for us.

If you needed any more proof that just check out what they did late last night during one of their legendary bits – Gone Fishing. The crew has enjoyed pranking Barkley and they got him again last night, with Johnson brilliantly leading him right into it.

Just sit back and watch this video and enjoy a good laugh.

Perfection. Who knew falling ping pong balls could be so funny?

All the other networks have these types of shows for all the sports and they’re all pretty much unwatchable. Why? Because they can’t replicate the genuine joy these four guys bring to their broadcasts every time the cameras go on. There are lots of shows with former athletes sitting around tables laughing at each other’s bad jokes but you can see right through them and can tell they’re trying their best to seem authentic but failing miserably to do so.

There’s no other studio show that would have people staying up deep into the night just to see what they do next.

Ernie, Chuck, Kenny, and Shaq are the GOATS and we’re lucky to have this show in our basketball lives.

Quick hits: NFL post-draft power rankings… Draymond’s perfect reaction to groin kick… Dirty hit in NHL playoff game… And more. 

Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

– The NFL draft is over and now it’s time to look at where everyone stands. Christian D’Andrea breaks out his latest power rankings, with a familiar team at the top.

– Draymond Green had a perfect, four-word reaction to Jae Crowder kicking Luka Doncic in the groin last night.

– The NHL playoffs began last night and Toronto’s Kyle Clifford was ejected 10 minutes into the Maple Leafs-Lightning game for a dirty hit.

– This ‘automatic’ strike out call in a minor league game had MLB fans up in arms.

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