In sports, the game is usually the main event. The excitement begins at tip-off, kick-off, or first pitch.

But for the NBA, fans queue up TNT early for a show that’s equal parts analysis and comedy before the game, followed by the back-and-forth drudgery of the game’s first half, until more hilarity ensues at halftime. And after the final buzzer, “Inside the NBA” continues to offer more hijinks. In total, the cast — Charles Barkley, Ernie Johnson, Shaquille O’Neal, and Kenny Smith — spend as much time jawing on set than the stars do playing a basketball game.