(Video) Charles Barkley’s Freudian Slip On Live TV Leaves Shaquille O’Neal in Splits

Charles Barkley and the rest of the Inside the NBA crew are back to doing what they do best. The show is hosted by Ernie Johnson, with three analysts and former NBA players on set: Kenny Smith, Shaquille O’Neal, and Barkley. It is a halftime and postgame studio show that has been airing since 1989.

Former NBA star Charles Barkley joined the show as an analyst in 2000. Barkley is well known for his trolling and, along with Shaquille O’Neal, is known for engaging in humorous banters, arguments, and silly bets, which have led to the duo being huge fan-favorites of the show.

Recently, Barkley was in the headlines for criticizing ESPN over scheduling issues. Hence, it is good to see more of the show as the NBA season approaches the business end. On Friday night, Barkley was caught off-guard by Austin Reaves after the Los Angeles Lakers took out their crosstown rivals. And tonight, the Chuckstar was guilty of a minor slip-up.

The big game on Saturday night was the New York Knicks taking on the Houston Rockets at Madison Square Garden. The Knicks pulled off one of the comebacks of the season as they were down by as much as 16 points heading into the fourth quarter. In the end, the Knicks prevailed 108-106 over the Rockets.

At halftime, Johnson asked Barkley how the 13-point lead vanished so quickly for New York. The Inside the NBA panelist misspoke and accidentally called the New York Knicks “d*cks”. The slip-up left Shaquille O’Neal on the verge of tears in laughter.

I think that the D*cks (Knicks) to me, the offense got stagnant. In the beginning, they were flowing. I think they got stagnant, then the Rockets got rolling. I think they played different when KD and Sengun were off the game. They played faster.

Charles Barkley calls the New York Knicks the "Dicks" and sends Shaq rolling. 🏀🎙️📺🤣 #NBA pic.twitter.com/9JkcbiRX3k

— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) February 22, 2026

The funniest part in the whole segment was that Barkley did not realize what had happened. With viral moments on consecutive nights, it really feels like the Inside the NBA show is back.

New York Knicks overcome an 18-point deficit in the fourth quarter

It was a much-needed win for the Knicks. The club seem to have lost some steam since the turn of the year. The clash with the Rockets was a thrilling game that swung wildly from blowout to buzzer-beater.

The Knicks came into Saturday’s game losing their first game after the All-Star Game to the Detroit Pistons. And it looked like they were going to suffer the same fate against the Rockets. They were trailing for most of the game but eventually outscored Houston 33–15 in the final quarter to get the win.

Kevin Durant was the main threat for the Rockets, scoring a team-high 30 points, while Tari Eason and Amen Thompson ensured good spacing and played defense very well.

During the fourth quarter, the Knicks’ leader, Jalen Brunson, attacked defenders hard and confidently went inside, scoring 4/4 in the last quarter. He ended the night with 20 points and got help from Karl-Anthony Towns (25 points) and OG Anunoby (20 points).

The win propelled the Knicks to third place in the Eastern Conference standings and improved their record to 36-21. Meanwhile, the Rockets remain at fourth place in the Western Conference standings with a 34-21 record.

Charles Barkley picks the Cleveland Cavaliers to come out of the East

The biggest move at the trade deadline this season was James Harden‘s move to the Cleveland Cavaliers for Darius Garland and a second-round pick. It was a move that took everyone by surprise, including his former teammate Kawhi Leonard.

Based on his performances in the first half of the campaign, Harden has shown that he is still an elite guard in the league. The early signs have been promising, and the Cavs have gone 5-0 since his arrival.

Barkley spoke about the Cavaliers during the latest edition of Inside the NBA. While he had selected the Knicks to come out of the East earlier this season, he has changed his pick to the Cavs after the recent trade.

I’m changing my pick Ernie. I told you all I thought the Knicks were coming out of the East. The Cleveland Cavaliers. Cleveland Cavaliers are coming out of the Eastern Conference.

“The Cleveland Cavaliers are coming out of the eastern conference,” – Charles Barkley 👀👀👀 pic.twitter.com/xF7XkMXzuG

— ESPN Cleveland (@ESPNCleveland) February 21, 2026

The Cavs will be hoping their recent trade will move the needle in the East, despite some doubts from rival teams. As Harden and Donovan Mitchell develop their chemistry, the Cavs will fancy their chances in a wide-open Eastern Conference.

Also Read:

• Charles Barkley Jokingly Praises NBA Stars Playing Hard at All-Star Event
• Charles Barkley Caught Off-Guard as Austin Reaves Overhears Lakers Rant