Tyronn Lue calls out Charles Barkley: I don’t believe in trying to hurt guys

Cavaliers coach Tyronn Lue responded to Charles Barkley’s comments that the Hawks needed to “take somebody out” during the Cavaliers’ Game 2 rout of Atlanta on Wednesday.

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Cleveland Cavaliers coach Tyronn Lue responded to Charles Barkley’s comments that the Atlanta Hawks needed to “take somebody out” during the Cavaliers’ Game 2 rout of Atlanta on Wednesday.

“I don’t think there’s any place in our game to take someone out if they’re playing well,” Lue said on Thursday, according to ESPN. “I think you can take it upon yourself to play harder and do things to stop it or stop a team from playing well.

“But when it gets into trying to hurt guys or trying to take guys out, that’s just not right. Hopefully the referees will keep an eye on it and make sure it’s a clean game. We don’t mind if it’s a physical game, but clean and everything that they do and we do is basketball related. I don’t believe in taking guys out and trying to hurt guys because a team or a player is playing well.”

• Charles Oakley to Charles Barkley: ‘Stop talking s---’

The Cavaliers made a record 25 three-point shots on their way to beating the Hawks 123–98 to take a 2–0 lead in the series. In the post-game coverage on TNT, Barkley suggested Atlanta players should have committed more fouls to stop the Cavaliers from scoring. 

Game 3 will be played on Friday at 7 p.m. ET in Atlanta.