Only because he opened his mouth on last night’s TNT NBA post-game show — long after most Lakers fans tuned out — Charles Barkley had this exchange with Kenny Smith and Ernie Johnson:

Inside the NBA crew debates their pick for the Dallas Mavericks vs. Los Angeles Lakers series in Round 2:

Barkley: “I’m going to stick with what I’ve been saying all year.”

Smith: “Which is?”

Barkley: “The Dallas Mavericks are the best team in Texas and they’re going to upset the Los Angeles Lakers. I think they have more mismatches than the Lakers.”

Smith: “OK, OK, you don’t have to convince yourself.”

Barkley: “I’m not trying to convince myself.”

Smith: “I’m just listening. You believe it, I’m glad you do.”

Johnson: “Are you going to weigh in?”

Smith: “I think the Los Angeles Lakers are going to win just because of rebounding. I would have said Dallas until I saw Game 6 tonight.”

Barkley: “But they played against a bunch of munchkins tonight. Those munchkins are going home. The Mavericks aren’t munchkins.”

Smith: “They couldn’t rebound. If they do that against the Lakers, they’re gonna lose. If you let the Lakers back in the games, you’re going to lose.”

Barkley: “The Lakers are going down.”

Smith: “OK.”

Barkley: “In six.”