Former basketball player Charles Barkley made fun of the Boston Celtics’ Jayson Tatum when he attended Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Final.
Barkley analyzed Game 3 between the Tampa Bay Lightning and Colorado Avalanche and failed to resist roasting the Celtics’ star player.
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The Lightning started the game rather poorly, but the crowd continued to be ecstatic every time the team took the chance to score. The Avalanche was the first team to score, but the Lightning got lucky as the goal was reviewed and overturned as being offside before the play.
He noted how left-wing Ondrej Polet’s goal was due to the turnover from Avalanche defenseman Devon Toews.
“This is like a regular Jayson Tatum turnover,” Barkley said with his limited knowledge of ice hockey.
Turnovers appear to be very common for Tatum as of late. The All-Star player made it into NBA history by becoming the first player to record 100-plus turnovers in a single run in the postseason.
Tatum scored an average of 21.5 points per game against the Golden State Warriors after averaging 29.5, 27.6, and 25 points per game in the Celtics’ first three series of 2022 playoffs.
Regardless, without Tatum, Celtics still would not have been any where near two wins of a championship, considering he was playing at an All-NBA level for the most 2021-22 season. He also had to endure a shoulder injury he sustained in the Eastern Conference Finals.
That said, Tatum had a reason to be burnt out, as he has been playing basketball year-round. While he was not in his best shape when Boston was cornered, the 24-year-old Tatum should still be considered the biggest contributor to the Celtics’ return.
Tatum was a first-team All-NBA selection this past season and is widely considered the next big thing within the league. However, he had an up-and-down campaign during his playoff run with the Celtics, which was halted by the Golden State Warriors in Game 6 of the Finals last week.
Barkley shares how he gets to attend Stanley Cup Final
Being a hockey fan, Barkley went to watch ABC since it broadcasted the third match of the Stanley Cup, which ended in a 6-2 victory for the Lightning, who took over the Avalanche’s early 2-1 lead.
Barkley has been an avid fan of the NHL since his time with the Philadelphia 76ers. When Inside the NBA concluded the season, he shifted his focus from the NBA to the NHL.
His appearance on ABC might have confused some fans, but he admitted he used his connection to get free tickets at the last minute. He may not be a fan of the Lightning, but he is friends with coach Jon Cooper.
“I called Gary Bettman and asked if I could get two tickets,” he said when asked about how he got to watch the Stanley Cup.
Barkley’s appearance was unexpected, especially since he did not take off his NBA hat, but fans still enjoyed seeing him in a different setting. And while he was there, he made sure that his presence was known.