NBA analyst Charles Barkley and former NBA player Eddie Johnson have taken their time to criticize Boston Celtics assistant coach Joe Mazzulla’s decision to block a shot by Royce O’Neale of the Phoenix Suns during a recent game in the NBA.

Barkley expressed his strong disapproval of this. He stated that he would have physically attacked if a coach had attempted to block his shot in a situation like this. He talked about the danger of such an action. Barkley highlighted the possibility of Mazzulla stepping on O’Neale’s ankle and causing a serious injury. “[I would’ve] hit him… I don’t like it. What if he stepped on his ankle and hurt himself badly? He can’t do that, come on, man,” Barkley tweeted.

The incident in question had just occurred after a timeout was called by the opposition team. O’Neale attempted a shot, and Mazzulla, who was standing nearby, reached out to try and block it. While the block that was attempted was not successful, this has led to a debate about sportsmanship and coaching manners.

Eddie Johnson’s tweet in the picture of Charles Barkley’s Statement

Eddie Johnson supported Barkley’s sentiments. He suggested that he would have responded with physical action if a coach had stopped his shot after a timeout. “Ditto, I would have followed through and whacked him or kicked his leg!” Johnson wrote on Twitter. He further talked about the divide between coaches and players. He went on, saying, “Then told him welcome to the players world. Stay out!“

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This is not the first time that Charles Barkley has been vocal about his opinions on the coaching decisions of the other coaches. Barkley is known for his outspoken personality, and frequently critiques players and teams on national television. Eddie Johnson, a former NBA All-Star, is also known for his candid takes on the game.

The incident has led to heavy discussion online. The discussion with fans is divided on whether Mazzulla’s actions were right or wrong. Many people argue that coaches should stay out of the way of players during live gameplay, while others defend Mazzulla’s hustle and competitive spirit. It remains to be seen whether this will have any lasting impact on Mazzulla’s coaching career.

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