Charles Barkley rips NBA for 'unfair' treatment of Nuggets

The older and top-heavy Nuggets were more severely affected, becoming the fourth team to score eight or fewer points in the first 12 minutes of a playoff game.

After the game, TNT's Charles Barkley blasted the NBA for their "unfair" treatment of the Nuggets.

"I thought what the NBA did to them was unfair," Barkley said. “Making them play late Friday night and then an early afternoon game [on Sunday]. I thought that was unfair. I truly believe that."

When reminded by Jalen Rose and Kenny Smith that the Thunder also dealt with a similar turnaround time, Barkley highlighted that the Nuggets are an older team with a 6- or 7-man rotation.

"Yeah, but they got more depth," Barkley said of the Thunder. "OKC got 12 players and they're younger."

Barkley added that the scheduling has led to Jokic's horrific three-game stretch and that the three-time MVP is "wearing down."

"I don’t think it’s fair to blame everything on the Joker, but he has not played well and I think he's wearing down," Barkley stressed.

The short turnaround time doesn't exactly constitute a back-to-back, but the Thunder's Chet Holmgren, who shot 0-of-3 from three, believes it almost does. 

The 2-2 series now shifts back to Oklahoma City for Tuesday's Game 5.