The animosity between TNT host Charles Barkley and Warriors fans escalated Thursday after the former NBA player nearly went ballistic when someone threw a t-shirt at him on the air.
There was much drama on the court during Game 5 of the NBA finals between the Golden State Warriors and the Dallas Mavericks, as the Warriors clinched their spot in the playoffs by beating the Mavs 120-110.
But there was drama of another kind between NBA on TNT host Charles Barkley and the live crowd of Warriors fans that served as a backdrop for the broadcast.
On Thursday, as the series was wrapping up, Barkley proved that he’s about had it with Warriors fans after he was pelted with t-shirts during the broadcast. After being hit by one as he sat on the panel, he jumped up and made as if he was about to wade into the crowd.
He was hit by a second shirt, too, as he motioned to the unruly fans.
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Thursday was far from the only time Barkley mixed it up with the fans. It all started when he blasted Warriors fans as “obnoxious” and a “pain in the ass.”
“I don’t think they’re the best team,” Barkley said of the Mavericks. “I just cannot pick with the Warriors because I hate their fans. Their fans are obnoxious. I actually like the players on the team and the coach, but I hate their fans. I just wanna see these people suffer. I want to see these losers suck.”
He also went after the fans ahead of Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals between the Warriors and Mavericks when several Warriors fans in the audience reportedly got mouthy.
As the fans mouthed off at him, Barkley reportedly replied, “If you don’t leave me alone, I’m going to come to your house and f—k your mama.”
He also yelled that “you all suck, too” at the fans:
It was a love-hate relationship as the fans loved to hate Charles Barkley.
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