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Before Alabama basketball's NCAA Tournament meeting with Robert Morris, Charles Barkley ripped Crimson Tide coach Nate Oats and his injury designation for Grant Nelson. As Alabama leads the Colonials by four points at half, leading 40-36 Barkley went back to Nelson as the reason why the Crimson Tide game is so close.
"Nelson is their second-best player," Barkley said on truTV. "It changes the whole dynamic of the team. It changes for (Mark) Sears also because the floor is shrinking."
Pointing to fellow analyst and former Houston Rockets guard Kenny Smith, Barkley said Smith had "open shots" in the NBA because of Hakeem Olajuwon, comparing that to the pressure Mark Sears is under to create offense without a player like Nelson on the floor.
"It hurts them in rebounding, and it hurts them offensively for shrinking the floor," Barkley said. "Robert Morris is not turning the ball over either."
Alabama, the No. 1 rebounding team nationally, is deadlocked wit Robert Morris in the rebounding margin at halftime.
Colin Gay covers Alabama football for The Tuscaloosa News, part of the USA TODAY Network. Reach him at [email protected] or follow him @_ColinGay on X, formerly known as Twitter.
This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: Charles Barkley feels Grant Nelson status is hurting Alabama basketball
Continue reading...
"Nelson is their second-best player," Barkley said on truTV. "It changes the whole dynamic of the team. It changes for (Mark) Sears also because the floor is shrinking."
Pointing to fellow analyst and former Houston Rockets guard Kenny Smith, Barkley said Smith had "open shots" in the NBA because of Hakeem Olajuwon, comparing that to the pressure Mark Sears is under to create offense without a player like Nelson on the floor.
"It hurts them in rebounding, and it hurts them offensively for shrinking the floor," Barkley said. "Robert Morris is not turning the ball over either."
Alabama, the No. 1 rebounding team nationally, is deadlocked wit Robert Morris in the rebounding margin at halftime.
Colin Gay covers Alabama football for The Tuscaloosa News, part of the USA TODAY Network. Reach him at [email protected] or follow him @_ColinGay on X, formerly known as Twitter.
This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: Charles Barkley feels Grant Nelson status is hurting Alabama basketball
Continue reading...
