Inside the TNT Studio.
Amid a chorus of gasps, Smith got fired up again, shouting, "Charles, look! Yao just blocked Shaq! How many centers in the entire league can block Shaq one-on-one? Plus, he's already got 6 points this game. What do you say? Wanna make another bet?"
Barkley shook his head frantically.
He wasn't touching another bet, especially not one involving Yao Ming.
"That was just a fluke. Shaq got careless," Barkley said. "Look, Shaq's already dropped 16 points. He's completely dominating Yao Ming."
Aside from that one block, Yao Ming had been completely outmatched in his confrontation with O'Neal in the first half.
He was only 2-for-6 from the field, so not only was his scoring limited, but he also hadn't been able to contain O'Neal.
After a pause, Barkley offered a rare, fair-minded comment. "But, while the current Yao is definitely no match for Shaq, he might actually be able to contend with him in the future."
Across from him, Ernie Johnson nodded in agreement.
