IN BRIEF (Page 23)

BASKETBALL

Barkley to tip off in Times Square

Charles Barkley will tip off the NBA season on Oct 28 in Times Square. Barkley, Kenny Smith, Shaquille O'Neal and Ernie Johnson will host live pregame, halftime and postgame shows from the New York landmark when TNT airs a doubleheader on opening night. Two nights later, TNT will televise a pregame concert from Cleveland featuring a performance by Kendrick Lamar before LeBron James makes his regular-season home debut in his return to the Cavaliers.