Lakers coach JJ Redick went on a bit of a tangent last month about how an overly critical media could be partially responsible for a drop in NBA ratings this season.
Charles Barkley, a basketball Hall of Famer and veteran analyst for TNT's “Inside the NBA,” apparently took Redick's words personally and launched his own rant two weeks later.
As Barkley and company showed highlights from the Boston Celtics' 118-115 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Thursday night, host Ernie Johnson commented on the high number of three-point shots (96) attempted during the game.
Barkley sarcastically commented that it was his fault and that “I heard JJ Redick say something about me.”
Johnson took the bait and asked, “Did he name you specifically or was he just talking about people on TV?”
Barkley took over from there, talking about Redick as the Celtics-Timberwolves highlights continued.
“He said something about us being the reason people don't see this shitty product we have,” Barkley said. “Yeah, we, like we're taking 100 threes a night. JJ, JJ, you're coming for the king, you better not miss. Because I can get you, brother, because I have your… remember, I have your Lakers games.”
Barkley continued talking about Redick and the Lakers (19-14), mentioning the two men who preceded Redick as the team's head coach.
“You can't hide the defects they have. “You’re just a dead man walking,” Barkley said. “They got rid of Frank Vogel, who did a good job. They got rid of Darvin Ham, who did a good job. You went out there thinking you were going to change things with that same ugly girl you went on the date with.
At this point, Johnson continued to describe the highlights shown on screen, but Barkley was undeterred and continued to talk over him, much to the amusement of fellow analysts Shaquille O'Neal and Kenny Smith.
“He came there thinking, 'I can make this work.' Hell, you can. Put some makeup on that pig. The Lakers suck, man. Come on man,” Barkley said. “We are the reason the ratings are down. We reason, as if we were playing. …Hey, listen, if Shaq and I played, the ratings would go down. But to be fair, if Shaq and I played, we'd be like the third or fourth best player on that Lakers team right now. Chuck, get in the game! 'Shaq, get in the game!' Damn bombs out there. But it's Frank Vogel and Darvin Ham's fault.”
Johnson finally asked, “How do we get there from Minnesota and Boston?”
Barkley responded: “Because all these people going up 100 triples saying we're the reason the ratings are down. Thirty seconds until another three-point shooting contest!
The Celtics lead the league this season with 50.6 3-point attempts per game, while the Timberwolves are sixth with 40 per game.
Sports Media Watch reported in mid-December that an average of 1.4 million viewers were watching NBA games on ABC, ESPN and TNT this season, down 19% from last year. Barkley and the “Inside the NBA” team are among those who have criticized the league's players for the number of shots they attempt from three-point range.
Redick, who worked for ESPN as an NBA analyst from 2021 until he was hired by the Lakers in June, was asked about the drop in ratings while addressing reporters before Los Angeles' game against the Sacramento Kings on December 19. Redick offered a number of possible explanations before focusing on the media.
“I don't think we (and I was a part of it, we as sort of the national partners) have done a good job of telling stories, of celebrating the game,” Redick said. “If I'm a casual fan and every time I turn on the TV you tell me the product sucks, well, I'm not going to watch the product. And that's really what's happened over the last 10 to 15 years. I don't know why. “I don't find it funny.”
He added: “The league has more talent and skill than 18 years ago when I was drafted. That's a fact. There are more players who are excellent. There are more teams that are excellent. … We don't have anyone who is willing to accept the fact that this is an incredible game and we need to talk about it and celebrate it in a positive way. That doesn't mean we don't criticize it. We should criticize it. But we should celebrate it. Nobody is doing that.”
The NBA has received some positive reviews in recent weeks. Nielsen reports that the league's five-game Christmas Day lineup averaged 5.25 million viewers, up 84% from last year. The Lakers' 115-113 win over the Golden State Warriors that night averaged 7.91 million viewers and peaked at around 8.45 million viewers.
With the NBA leaving TNT after this season, “Inside the NBA” will move to ESPN but will continue to be produced by TNT.
