Loud Shouting Match Triggered Between Shaquille O’Neal and Charles Barkley by Anthony Edwards MVP Debate

The 1993 MVP doesn’t agree with the 2000 MVP. A good few NBA veterans like Charles Barkley think that Anthony Edwards has a solid shot at winning the MVP title after the 44-point outing tonight. However, Shaquille O’Neal is not ready to budge from Luka Doncic, who set a new triple-double record tonight. As it tends to happen, Shaq and Chuck got into a shouting match. When Ernie Johnson asked if there is an MVP title in Doncic’s future, Shaq said there’s at least “one.” Barkley is not confident that he could win with the Mavericks in the eighth place.

By Chuck’s argument, an MVP title also correlates to the team’s standing. “If they were a top 4, he’d be in consideration.” Which again Shaq countered, “Anyone on the team better than Luka in Minnesota?” Chuck went on record to say, “If Minnesota finish with the best record on the West, I would have no problem with Antman winning MVP.”

As it happens whenever Shaq and Chuck’s opinions are mismatched, there were interruptions left and right in raised voices. Shaq got nastier when he demanded Chuck stop with the hypotheticals and answer “if he [Edwards] is better than Luka Doncic?” Charles Barkley still played it safe and said Doncic and Edwards are “apples and oranges.” It got uglier when Ernie Johnson and Kenny Smith were apparently on Chuck’s side and O’Neal became defensive.

The Inside Guys debate their definition of an MVP

While it’s normal to debate top contenders for MVP around this time of the year, it’s unusual to debate what makes the title itself. To Shaquille O’Neal, the team’s standing is irrelevant no matter how much his co-hosts argue that the player’s contribution to the team is a factor for MVP.

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The 4x NBA champion harped that the Most Valuable Player is dependant on the “individual” and is a “singular” honor. The more O’Neal fought their theory, the more the argument dragged on. Kenny Smith tried to convince him that it is the MVP of the league and an All-Star is singular.

Does that convince the Big Aristotle? Having won it himself, Shaq insists that title means “the baddest MOFO in the league.” That gives him the panache to argue that Minnesota has talent as a whole but no MVP in their lineup.

Charles Barkley felt that if the Timberwolves finish well, he’d have no problem seeing Anthony Edwards take home the Michael Jordan trophy. However, Shaq is harping on consistency and singular greatness, which Luka Doncic is delivering. As usual, the big men couldn’t come to an agreement. Who do you agree with in this argument- Shaq or his co-hosts?

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