Charles Barkley enjoys excruciating interviews with Kevin Durant and Paul George

Charles Barkley continues to treat the biggest stars in basketball without fear or favour – and we’re the winners.

Charles Barkley enjoyed the tension with Paul George and Kevin Durant.

Kevin Durant’s impressive return: 22 points, five rebounds, three assists and one extremely awkward interview.

After the Brooklyn Net’s 125-99 season-opening victory over the Warriors, Durant did a brief interview with TNT’s “Inside the NBA.”

Questions by Charles Barkley and crew were met mostly by short, serious responses.

Afterwards, Barkley, Kenny Smith and Shaquille O’Neal proceeded to mock Durant with a series of questions and disinterested replies among themselves.

The NBA on TNT crew just roasted Kevin Durant's postgame interview because they thought it was low energy 👀 pic.twitter.com/eA69Pz9Ylw

— Sam Hustis (@SamHustis) December 23, 2020

The forward’s interview came one week after Barkley eviscerated Durant’s teammate Kyrie Irving for the point guard’s media boycott. According to USA Today, Barkley later said he believed that was the reason for Durant’s peculiar responses.

It was only the start of the interview weirdness on the network. After the Clippers’ 117-109 victory over the Lakers in the nightcap, Paul George was asked about him and Kawhi Leonard receiving “preferential treatment” by the team last season.

After George’s straightforward response, Barkley and Smith debated the issue as George awkwardly waited.

the last 45 seconds where Paul George had to stand there and listen to Kenny/Chuck argue about his preferential treatment rumors was the epitome of awkward. pic.twitter.com/tO1Kq8JFxb

— Rob Perez (@WorldWideWob) December 23, 2020

George scored 26 of his 33 points in the second half as the Clippers kept the Lakers at bay.

“I got into a good rhythm making plays for the team,” George said. “That’s how I catch fire — I let the game come to me. I took the shots when they were available.” Kawhi Leonard added 26 points for the Clippers, who are out to expunge the memory of their agonising Western Conference semi-finals loss to the Denver Nuggets, who trailed 3-1 in the series but won in seven games.

LeBron James led the Lakers with 22 points. Anthony Davis added 18 and German point guard Dennis Schroder — a new addition — scored 14 points with 12 rebounds and eight assists.

– New York Post with AFP