Shaquille O’Neal roasts ‘Inside the NBA’ co-host Charles Barkley

Inside the NBA continued to prove why it deserves to stay on the air as Shaquille O’Neal provided an all-time one-liner at the expense of his co-host Charles Barkley. 

The two NBA legends have provided fans with ceaseless entertainment on the popular TNT show, which faces the axe, and sparked hilarity once again during their coverage of the Minnesota Timberwolves’ playoff game against the Dallas Mavericks on Sunday night. 

Ahead of Game 3, which saw Luka Doncic and co take a commanding 3-0 lead in the Western Conference Finals, Shaq seized the chance to roast his fellow analyst. 

Shaq couldn’t resist poking fun at Barkley as the analyst regaled the crew, which featured beloved studio analysts O’Neal, Kenny Smith, host Ernie Johnson and guest Draymond Green, about his pregame walk on a scorching Sunday in Dallas.

‘I was taking my daily walk and I made about half a block and I said, abort, abort,’ Barkley said, talking about the heat. 

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‘I walk every day to get peace and quiet by myself but I aborted today,’ he went on to explain, before Shaq quipped: ‘You walked to get what? Pizza and quiet?’ 

The one-liner had fans in stitches on social media as many clamored for the show’s survival. 

‘The NBA has to find a way to keep this show on the airwaves. It’s just too good,’ one user posted in response to the clip on social media. 

‘This has to be saved,’ another said before a third added, ‘They can not get rid of this!!’

‘This is what they’re trying to take from us,’ one fan wrote, referring to the banter between the co-hosts, while another chimes in, saying, ‘I will miss this banter next year.’

Another posted: ‘It will be a tragedy if this show just ceases to exist one day lol.’ 

Meanwhile, one social media user had a slightly stronger reaction, channeling a Batman villain. ‘nba cancels this show I’ll go full Joker,’ they said.

Last week it emerged that the NBA was formalizing written contracts with ESPN, NBC and Amazon over new TV deals worth a combined $7.4billion per year.

According to Sports Business Journal, negotiations with all three companies were entering the ‘final stage’ in what was a massive blow for TNT and their long-running show ‘Inside the NBA’.

However, there may still be life in the show yet as NBA Commissioner Adam Silver offered TNT a glimmer of hope. 

Outside of Thursday’s White House state dinner in Washington D.C. last week, Commissioner Silver said: ‘We’re all still talking. Who knows how it’s going to work out?’

It was reported that ESPN will pay $2.8bn per year for the league’s most prized set of games, including the NBA finals, a conference final, weekly primetime clashes and the WNBA.

NBC, meanwhile, is set to fork out $2.6bn annually for the ‘B’ package, which would likely include a show called ‘Basketball Night in America’, airing on Sunday evenings after the NFL season. 

According to SBJ, NBC would also secure a conference semifinals, a conference final and two primetime slots per week.

Amazon’s deal – said to be worth up to $2bn – would come with the In-Season Tournaments, first-round playoff games and the WNBA.