"He gave me nightmares on defense" - Barkley's biggest nemesis was on the Celtics, but it was not Larry Bird

While one might assume that facing the Boston Celtics in the 1980s would make Larry Bird the primary rival for most players, Charles Barkley 's experience was different.

Interestingly, the Round Mound of Rebound found Kevin McHale to be his most formidable opponent, emphasizing how the two-time Sixth Man of the Year was almost impossible to contain on both ends of the floor.

Barkley on McHale

The 76ers vs. Celtics rivalry has been storied since Bill Russell and Wilt Chamberlain's days. Unfortunately, Sir Charles only experienced this feud intensely in the playoffs during his rookie season.

From the moment Barkley entered the NBA, he made a name for himself as a strong rebounder and imposing scorer in the paint. However, whenever he faced 'Herman Munster,' the 11-time All-Star was provided a harsh reality check on how difficult it is to be lethal and efficient.

"You could not stop him," Barkley said during his appearance on NBA TV's Open Court series. "I've always said you could not stop that guy. And on the other end, I had to use every ounce of energy I did to score on him."

Related: Scottie Pippen on how Michael Jordan would have reacted if he left the Bulls: "He would have probably tried to shoot more and score more"

McHale humbled a young Charles

In his rookie campaign, Barkley put up solid numbers—averaging 14.0 points on 54.5% shooting from the field, along with 8.6 rebounds per game in the regular season. He also continued his stellar showings in the playoffs, averaging 13.3 points and 12.8 rebounds against the Washington Bullets and 17.8 points and 9.3 rebounds per contest against the Milwaukee Bucks in the second round.

However, when the Sixers faced off the Celtics in the EC Finals, Charles averaged 14.0 points on only 46.8% shooting and stayed in foul trouble in two of those games. Meanwhile, McHale dominated the entire series, averaging a series-high 21.2 points and 11.2 rebounds per contest.

The 1993 MVP's sophomore year saw him rise to the All-NBA level, averaging 20.0 points, 12.8 rebounds, 3.9 assists, 2.2 steals, and 1.6 blocks. Yet, in six regular-season games against the Celtics, he averaged only 16.3 points on 36.7% shooting. McHale, meanwhile, averaged 23.6 points on over 54% shooting from the field, further cementing his superiority in their matchups.

"Kevin McHale was the best player I played against, " Chuck added. "Because he was unstoppable offensively, and he gave me nightmares on defense."

While Kevin never truly gets the credit he deserves for playing Bird's supporting role so patiently and effectively, admissions like these shed light on how McHale's presence helped Boston win three championships in six years.

Related: Charles Barkley says Kevin McHale was the best player he played against but named a different legend as the greatest power forward ever