Shaquille O’Neal and Charles Barkley, two former NBA stars turned commentators, found themselves unable to stop laughing after learning that Anthony Davis left the court in a wheelchair following a head injury during Game 5 of the Western Conference Semifinals.
While the rest of the Inside the NBA crew seemed to understand the humor, none of them admitted what was so funny. When asked why he was laughing, Shaq simply pointed at Barkley, who in turn said Shaq was crumpling up paper.
“I’m laughing at Chuck,” Shaq laughed when asked by Ernie Johnson why he is laughing. For his part, Barkley said “Shaq is over there crumbling up paper. That’s why I was laughing” as the two continued laughing.
Meanwhile, Davis left the game with 7:34 left to play in the fourth quarter and the Lakers down 13 points. The 30-year-old superstar suffered a blow to the head from Kevon Looney’s elbow. Lakers head coach Darvin Ham provided an update on Davis after the game, expressing concern about a possible concussion or orbital fracture.
Despite Davis’ injury, the Lakers still lead the series 3-2 and will play Game 6 at home in Los Angeles. However, the lack of a clear protocol for a player’s return after a concussion means that it is unclear when Davis will be able to return to the court.
