Hall of Famer and NBA on TNT analyst Charles Barkley went on a rant about the Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday.
Barkley defended Lakers head coach Frank Vogel in his speech, but he also took a shot at Lakers star Anthony Davis.
"Anthony Davis, you know I like you as a person, but you ain't doing what you're supposed to do."
Chuck sounds off on the Lakers' struggles this season 🗣 pic.twitter.com/HM9zReqeS5
— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) December 8, 2021
“For the first month of the season, y’all blame everything on Russell Westbrook for the Lakers putting all them old a– geezers together, and y’all blame Westbrook,” Barkley said. “Now, I hear y’all going to fire Frank Vogel.
“Listen, Russ is learning. Frank Vogel is a terrific coach. Putting all of those old a– geezers together and just trying to blame other people. It ain’t right, and it ain’t cool. Listen, Anthony Davis, you’ve got to play better.
“I said on this first night, ‘If the Lakers were going to be any good, it was all going to be on you.’ It has nothing to do with Russell. It has nothing to do with LeBron [James] and the rest of them old a– geezers they put together out there.
“But now y’all crossed the line because I really like Frank Vogel. Listen, it ain’t his fault. In my opinion, I blame Anthony Davis. Anthony Davis, you know I like you as a person, but you ain’t doing what you’re supposed to do. You’re 27 years old. You’re supposed to be in your prime. You’re supposed to be one of the five best players in the world, up there with Giannis [Antetokounmpo], Kevin Durant and those guys. You ain’t holding up your end of the bargain.
“So now I hear y’all going to fire — that’s total BS man.”
Barkley didn’t hold back on Davis, who has led the Lakers to a 12-12 record this season. Los Angeles has been without James in 12 of those games.
On the season, Davis is averaging 24.4 points, 10.0 rebounds and 3.1 assists per game while shooting 52.3 percent from the field and just 18.8 percent from beyond the arc.
Davis will look to prove Barkley wrong on Tuesday night when the Lakers take on the Boston Celtics. That game is scheduled to tip off at 7 p.m. PST.
