Charles Barkley and Kevin Durant’s war of words continued Tuesday night.
The Basketball Hall of Famer responded to Durant’s social media comeback from Barkley’s initial comments that he’s a “bus rider” amid the Celtics’ sweep of the Nets in the first round of the NBA playoffs.
“You think they put that play-in banner up yet already,” Barkley said on Tuesday’s “Inside the NBA” on TNT.
“I can put up stuff [on social media] about him, Russell [Westbrook] and James [Harden] and Serge Ibaka … KD [Kevin Durant] is a great player. The only point I was making: Life is different when you’re driving the bus.
“When I am in the room with the other Hall of Famers, I don’t get to the sit at their table,” Barkley added. “That’s the way it is … They are champions.”
After Brooklyn’s 109-103 Game 3 loss to the Celtics last week, Barkley said Durant was playing as if he was a “bus rider,” instead of a “bus driver” — and questioned his two championship rings with Golden State, where he teamed up with future Hall of Famers in Steph Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green.
“If you ain’t driving the bus, don’t walk around talkin’ ‘bout you a champion,” Barkley said after Game 3.
Durant then shot back at Barkley, posting pictures of him when he played for the Sixers and Rockets with his teammates, captioning one of the shots: “Where would Chuck be without the homies.”
During “Inside the NBA” on Tuesday, Shaq explained that “bus drivers means it is your team.”
Later on, Ernie Johnson surprised Barkley with the keys to his very own bus, which was labeled the “Chuck Wagon.”
“You’re the bus driver,” Johnson told Barkley while handing him the keys. “You gotta drive the bus. We’re done with the show tonight so you can take use home.”