TNT analyst Charles Barkley doesn't have much faith in the Boston Celtics extending their Eastern Conference Semifinal series against the Milwaukee Bucks, rather confident Wednesday's Game 5 will be Kyrie Irving's last in Celtics green:
“Hey Mike, let me stop you — we already unmade our reservations for Milwaukee and Toronto,” said a confident Barkley to ESPN's “Get Up!” host Mike Greenberg, who then asked Barkley if this would indeed be the last time Irving dons the uniform.
“Yes. I think it will be. I think that it's not a good mix there. I think that he's not happy there.”
Charles Barkley believes tonight is the last time we'll see Kyrie in a Celtics jersey. pic.twitter.com/jzXlWFClDc
— Get Up (@GetUpESPN) May 8, 2019
Barkley wasn't done peppering on the subject, adding that Irving's situation isn't just a poor fit, but that he's rather unfit to play the role of leader or best player for a franchise:
“I don't think Kyrie Irving can be the best player on your team,” said Barkley. “He's a very talented player, but from a mental standpoint of being a leader of your franchise that has to live with all the criticism. I don't think he can be the best player on your team. Jalen (Rose) knows this: When you're a star and you're the No. 1 guy, you get all the credit when things go great, but when things go bad you get all the blame …
“From a mental makeup — especially since he's going to New York — listen, if he can't handle playing in Boston, he got no chance of playing in New York, because that's a completely different animal.”
Barkley usually spares no feelings when he makes his point, and perhaps truer words had yet to be spoken until Sir Charles said them.
Irving has played subpar basketball in his last three games, shooting inefficiently and failing to get the rest of his teammates involved, now facing elimination after losing three straight games to the Bucks.
Follow Us
Subscribe