WATCH: Charles Barkley rides horses onto NBA on TNT set

The Dallas Mavericks are set to host the Golden State Warriors on Sunday night, needing a victory to keep pace in the Western Conference Finals. With TNT broadcasting Game 3, the NBA on TNT crew was in front of the American Airlines Center. The only issue? Charles Barkley was missing from the desk, as Kenny Smith and Shaq wondered where the third analyst was.

When the camera cut, it showed Barkley on a horse, making a grand entrance to the set. He got escorted through the crowd as Smith dubbed Barkley the “unofficial mayor” of Dallas. Of course, Shaq was ripping his own jokes as the spectacle took place. Barkley even got to rock a cowboy hat.

When he arrived on set, Barkley joked that he had “just got back off the trail.”

You can watch the full sequence below.

Chuck pulled up riding a horse 😂 pic.twitter.com/BocQwxOdAa

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) May 23, 2022

The city of Dallas has been backing Barkley thanks to his support of the Mavericks. On the flip side, Golden State fans have made him know their displeasure. After Game 1 and Game 2, Barkley was getting an earful from the live crowd after the Warriors got victories.

Point guard Steph Curry has been leading the way so far, averaging 26.5 points over the first two games. Although Dallas was a good defensive team this season, Golden State has been able to score at will — even inside the three-point line.

However, losing the first two games of a series is nothing new for the Mavericks. Phoenix won both of their first home games before Dallas went on to win four of the final five games. Getting a win at the American Airlines Center on Sunday is crucial if they want to advance to their first Finals since 2011.

Otherwise, the 3-0 deficit may be too much to overcome. Especially when facing off against former NBA champions.