Barkley started his rant by saying, “I saw a fool, idiot on TV saying the Lakers saved the NBA. He’s an idiot and a fool but he knows who he is.” Barkley then asked Shaquille O’Neal — celebrating his 53rd birthday — to identify who he was talking about. When O’Neal failed to do say, Barkley said, “Kendrick Perkins” before going deep into criticisms of both Perkins and ESPN. “He said, the Lakers — first of all, the Lakers have had a great two weeks,” Barkley said. “He said the Lakers saved the NBA season. That’s because them fools on the other network, which we’re going to be working for next year, that’s all they talk about. Let me tell y’all something. And first of all, I want all the smoke. I don’t whistle when I walk by the graveyard or anything like that.”