Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

With the Boston Celtics now struggling mightily to stay alive in the NBA playoffs, it feels like it’s become time to poke a little fun at the Boston sports teams in the aftermath of the Boston Bruins epic collapse in the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs.

NBA on TNT studio analyst and noted hockey fan Charles Barkley certainly didn’t miss a golden opportunity during halftime of Game 5 between the Celtics and 76ers when he jabbed at the Bruins fans if the Celtics theoretically fall in a second-round playoff series against Philly that’s not currently going their way.

“In fairness if the Cetlics lose this series, [Boston sports fans] still have the Bruins…oh sorry,” said a smiling, mocking Barkley after studio host Ernie Johnson asked if there’s “some anxious fans in Boston right now.”

It could be a real bummer of a sports spring for the city of Boston if two winter teams with massive expectations after strong regular seasons, fall off in the playoffs without much of a whimper. That is the danger now with the Boston Bruins done for the last 10 days and the Boston Celtics headed to Philadelphia for a Game 6 elimination after losing badly on their home court on Tuesday night.

The hockey references and Stanley Cup playoff appearances by Sir Charles have become staples in recent years as TNT has become a rights holder for the National Hockey League, but the basketball legend has long been a vocal, ardent fan of the sport while dropping in hockey references regularly in his hoop analysis.

Just file Chuck under the moniker “puckhead”, even if he seems to enjoy trolling the Boston sports fans that got on him early and often during his NBA superstar days with the Philadelphia 76ers.

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