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Charles Oakley to Charles Barkley: ‘Stop talking s---’

Charles Oakley and Charles Barkley reignited their nearly two decades-long feud on Wednesday night.
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Charles Oakley and Charles Barkley reignited their nearly two decades-long feud on Wednesday night.

Barkley, who co-hosted TNT’s post-game show following the Cavaliers’ 123–98 thrashing of the Hawks in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference semifinals, said Atlanta should have countered Cleveland’s attack by committing hard fouls during the game’s waning minutes.

“The Atlanta Hawks got to take somebody out,” Barkley said. “Take ’em out.”

Oakley, a Cleveland native, immediately took to Twitter to combat Barkley’s comments, tweeting, “Charles Barkley, you better stop talking s--- about Cleveland you was never tough you hide behind TNT.”

The tweet was then shown on TNT, and Barkley responded.

“Charles Oakley doesn’t like me, which is no big deal,” Barkley said on the air. “I don’t like him or dislike him. I don’t think about him. He’s not important enough for me to think about. …He don’t like me. I have no idea why.”

The Barkley-Oakley feud originated during the 1999 NBA lockout, when Oakley punched Barkley during a union meeting.