<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>NEW YORK -- Charles Barkley is again calling out Kobe Bryant for dogging it. Barkley criticized Bryant today for the way he asked the Lakers to trade him, then for not appearing to give his full effort since owner Jerry Buss said he would consider a deal.</p> So when Barkley goes on the air Tuesday night for TNT's season-opening doubleheader, he will probably have some strong words about Bryant for the second time in three years. He said Phil Jackson's questioning of Bryant's effort over the weekend was the "final straw." "What Phil Jackson said yesterday, that was like they're at the point of no return now. There's a point where you know you can make a marriage work, but what Phil Jackson said yesterday, that was the end of it," Barkley said at a luncheon with fellow studio analyst Kenny Smith. "That's the one thing I respect most about Kevin Garnett. Even though he played on terrible teams, there is not a player in the last 10 years who played harder than Kevin Garnett. And that's the one thing that disappoints me. Phil said that Kobe's just going through the motions. ... And if your coach tells you you're just going through the motions, that's pretty much the end of the straw." Barkley called Bryant "selfish" after Game 7 of the Lakers' first-round playoff loss to Phoenix in 2006, when Bryant took just three shots and scored only one point in the second half while the Suns pulled away. Bryant told Barkley he was upset in some text message responses, then made a guest appearance on TNT's coverage later in the playoffs to discuss the matter with Barkley on the air. Though Barkley said at the time he should have handled his criticism differently, he maintains now he was right, even recalling a game a couple of years earlier against Sacramento when Bryant was also accused of not shooting as a way to prove a point. "Did you see anybody defending him? Did you see any of his coaches or players saying what Charles said wasn't right?" Barkley said. "You can't fool people. I like Kobe Bryant. I think he's the best player we got in the NBA. I didn't like what he did in Phoenix at all." TNT will show the Lakers' opener against Houston on Tuesday night after televising NBA champion San Antonio's game against Portland in the opener. Barkley and Smith said the Bryant situation will come up, and both will probably criticize the way Bryant has acted since last season ended. Smith said Bryant broke "etiquette rules" by publicly criticizing teammates during his trade demand. Barkley was harder on Bryant's actions since camp opened. Bryant skipped practices and games -- Barkley called it a "sabbatical" -- after Buss said he would consider trading his star, and Barkley blames both of them for creating the situation. "When Jerry Buss comes into training camp and says they're going to trade Kobe, Kobe says, 'All right, I'm going to take a week's vacation,' " Barkley said. "Jerry shouldn't have said that. Wasn't no doubt in my mind [Bryant] was just blowing off games and practice because he was [mad] about what Dr. Buss said. They shouldn't have said that. He should have went to Kobe, 'Kobe you want to be traded, we'll try to make it work.' But the guy's skipping practices, going through the motions." Barkley said the Lakers need to find the best deal possible to make sure Bryant doesn't eventually leave without their getting anything back. Smith didn't sound as certain he'd make a trade. "If I was the Lakers, I'd still have Shaq too," Smith said.</div></p> http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-spw-barkl...2&cset=true</p>
"If I was the Lakers, I'd still have Shaq too," Smith said.</p> Hypocrite. Shaq did the exact same thing except he took games off DURING the actual season.</p> Nice hype job by Barkley to get viewers to watch TNT at halftime of the Laker v. Rocket opener. Everyone will want to hear what he has to say next.</p> Could Kobe have handled the situation better, absolutely, but until he starts dogging games in the regular season he deserves the benefit of the doubt. He injured his wrist in the Utah game in a collision with Okur and he did play all summer for the FIBA tournament. I'm sure he wanted to save his legs for the real season.</p> If Kobe does dog it in the regular season I will be the first to rip on him.</p>
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>"Did you see anybody defending him? Did you see any of his coaches or players saying what Charles said wasn't right?" Barkley said. "You can't fool people. I like Kobe Bryant. I think he's the best player we got in the NBA. I didn't like what he did in Phoenix at all."</div></p> As a matter of fact PJax did defend Kobe after the Phoenix game. The Lakers were down by 15 or 18 points at halftime with Kobe doing all the scoring. PJax and Kobe felt the only way to win this game was to get everyone involved. Kobe wasn't selfish, his teammates we're quitters after they folded in Game 3. They never showed up for Game 7 so you can't put that on Kobe.</p> Kwame Brown was falsely accused of rape after the Lakers went up 3-2 in the series. He was not the same after that. Marion started outplaying Odom and the Suns made adjustments to their defensive rotations which the Lakers had no answer for.</p>
This is pretty funny, coming from a guy who said that preseason was just a way for owners to rip off fans.</p> Barkley openly admitted to coasting during regular season games as a Rocket. And he's going to criticize Kobe for doing it in the preseason? What a clown.</p> </p>
I agree with Barkley in one thing and that is what he said about KG, he played with the Wolves a pretty crappy team at some point and did you ever hear Garnett talk about his players and ownership no, correct me if I'm wrong KG plays with his heart.But Kobe he seems to not play with heart anymore his confused.</p>
Garnett is a great player, whith great attitude, I was hoping the lakers would get him, I wish him well in Boston.</p>
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (durvasa)</div><div class='quotemain'></p> This is pretty funny, coming from a guy who said that preseason was just a way for owners to rip off fans.</p> Barkley openly admitted to coasting during regular season games as a Rocket. And he's going to criticize Kobe for doing it in the preseason? What a clown.</p> </p> </div></p> haha! just what i was thinking. fatboy better look at the mirror.</p>
