Paul Pierce rocks The Post's ‘Choke 2.0' back page on a T-shirt on FS1: ‘I'm a fan'
Paul Pierce loved The Post's Thursday back page so much that he donned a T-shirt featuring it.
The former Celtics great and current FS1 personality sported a shirt with The Post's 'Choke 2.0' back page emblazoned on it during the latest episode of 'Speak' before handing them out to his fellow panelists on the show.
The back page featured Tyrese Haliburton mimicking Reggie Miller's infamous choke gesture from the 1994 playoffs against the Knicks.
'As you can see, I have this for my New York [fans]. Hey, listen New York fans, don't get mad at me,' Pierce said while standing up and holding the shirt up for the camera. 'Don't get mad at me. This picture is from the New York Post.'
3 Paul Pierce seemingly loved The Post's back page.
Pierce then expressed his fandom for 'The Best Sports In Town.'
'They sent this to me, and I was just like, alright, I like to read the New York Post. I'm a fan,' he said, not explaining who 'they' is.
He then proceeded to hand out shirts to the three other members of the show.
3 The back page for May 22, 2025.
The Knicks suffered a devastating loss to the Pacers in Game 1 on Wednesday night at Madison Square Garden when they squandered a double-digit fourth-quarter lead.
Follow The Post's coverage of the Knicks in the 2025 NBA Playoffs
Sports+ subscribers: Sign up for Inside the Knicks to get daily newsletter coverage and join Expert Take for insider texts about the series.
The loss felt like a throwback to Miller's classic postseason performances against the Knicks in the '90s, which were equally as haunting to fans of a certain age.
Pierce hasn't been shy about who he is rooting for in the series, proclaiming after the Knicks defeated the Celtics in the second round that the 'Pacers are gonna pop ya'll,' referring to the New York squad.
3 Tyrese Haliburton of the Indiana Pacers makes a choking gesture after he hits a jump shot with seconds left during the fourth quarter, forcing overtime.
Jason Szenes / New York Post
The NBA great wasn't the only person on FS1 basking in the Knicks' misery after Game 1.
'Breakfast Ball' co-host Danny Parkin wore a shirt with the Haliburton image on it during Thursday's show to troll fellow co-host, and former WFAN personality, Craig Carton.
The Knicks will get a chance for revenge in Game 2 on Friday night.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Anthony Edwards Explains Why Chet Holmgren Was The Game Changer For OKC In Game 4
May 26, 2025; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards (5) makes a pass against Oklahoma City Thunder forward Chet Holmgren (7) in the second half during game four of the Western Conference Finals for the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Kluckhohn-Imagn Images Anthony Edwards and the Minnesota Timberwolves saw a crushing 128-126 loss in Game 4 at home on Monday night. While discussing the key players for the Thunder, Edwards had to give props to OKC's big man, Chet Holmgren, for his performance. "JDub had a bunch of open ones, made some tough ones too. Shai made some tough ones. I think Chet changed the game for them more than anything. The easy points he had, easy rebounds, putbacks. All his points, I think. That was the game changer." Advertisement Holmgren has been a key factor in the Thunder's success this season, and in an important game, he stepped up for his team. OKC's big man notched 21 points and seven rebounds, along with three blocks for the game. His ability to stretch the floor was also seen as he shot 2-4 from beyond the arc on an overall efficient 9-14 shooting for the night. The big man's length posed a challenge to Minnesota's frontcourt, as they struggled to get around him. Wolves forward Julius Randle, who has otherwise been an absolute force in the playoffs, notched only five points in Game 4. The Thunder saw some tremendous performances to close out the game on the road. The league's MVP, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, had another incredible performance, racking up a near-triple-double of 40 points, nine rebounds, and ten assists. Meanwhile, his co-star, Jalen Williams, came up with another huge scoring night with 34 points on 6-9 shooting from the three-point line. While OKC's output was tremendous, it wasn't like the Wolves played poorly at all. Minnesota saw some valuable contributions from their bench, who effectively carried their weight for the game. Advertisement The bench mob was led by Nickeil Alexander-Walker, who had 23 points on 5-8 shooting from three-point territory. He was closely supported by Donte DiVincenzo, who added another 21 points and five assists as well. Overall, the bench combined for 64 points, compared to the starters' 62. Where Minnesota fell short in Game 4 was the lack of offensive output provided by their star pair of Randle and Edwards. The Wolves guard, who had put on an offensive masterclass in Game 3, seemed like a non-factor on Monday. Edwards disappeared on a night when his team needed him to be more dominant, contributing 16 points on 5-13 shooting, another game where he took fewer shots than he should. The only positive contributors in the Wolves' starting lineup were Jaden McDaniels and Rudy Gobert. McDaniels led the starters in scoring with 22 points and some solid defensive work by racking up four steals. Meanwhile, Gobert notched 13 points and nine rebounds along with a block. Advertisement A loss in Game 4 sees Minnesota in a significantly worse position than before. Having given up a 3-1 lead to the Thunder before hitting the road, the Wolves will be battling to avoid elimination in Game 5 on Wednesday at 8:30 pm ET. Related: Charles Barkley Says All The Pressure Is On Timberwolves; Predicts Series Ends In Game 5 If They Lose Game 4
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Stephen A. Smith Criticizes Tyrese Haliburton: "Just Because You Show Up In Clutch Moments Doesn't Make You A Superstar"
Tyrese Haliburton nailed a clutch buzzer-beater to send the Knicks vs Pacers Game 1 into overtime. The Pacers rallied back from a 14-point deficit in the final 2:30 of the game to eventually win it in overtime. Stephen A. Smith has been vocal in his support for the Knicks for a very long time. After the Pacers stole Game 1 in Madison Square Garden, Smith went on his show to make a bold assertion about Haliburton. Jay Williams and Monica McNutt appeared alongside Stephen A. Smith on ESPN's First Take show, where in a segment, they discussed whether Haliburton has qualified to be a superstar in the NBA yet. Williams and McNutt essentially agreed however, Smith profusely refused. Advertisement He said, "You're both wrong, I'm not agreeing with you on this at all. And I don't have to worry about how, you know, folks are coming late to the party. I wanted the Knicks to draft Haliburton; remember that I wanted them to draft Haliburton instead of Obi Toppin. I think he's a damn good player, I think that he's a star in this league, but superstar status is reserved for the select few and I don't view him that way. However, and I know that he shows up in the clutch moment, he deserves our credit, he's a big-time player, I like him a lot. I've always said that, so I don't have to worry about how I'm being perceived in terms of what I've had to say about him because I've always celebrated him.' Smith further added, 'Having said all of that, I'm going to sit up there, M&M and Jay, and look at y'all like this, you're talking about big shots, right? And you're talking about how big shots qualify you as a star. Was Robert Horry a superstar? Nobody hit more big shots than that…what I'm saying is in terms of the big shots, I'm talking about the big shots, what you said about big-time shot-making. I'm saying when you bring up somebody that's got about seven rings, when you bring up the Chauncey Billups' of the world who hit big shots and stuff like that, there have been plenty of people throughout NBA history that were really damn good and hit big time shots. But they still weren't labeled a superstar, so just because you show up in the clutch and you make big shots doesn't make you a superstar, that is my point … The brother is a star, people who labeled him overrated were just hating, they should be ashamed of themselves. When I think superstar, I'm thinking Steph, I'm thinking LeBron, I'm thinking people like I'm thinking Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.' Stephen A. has very cleverly tried to disguise his criticism by saying he's a star player but not yet a superstar. However, it seems that Smith's opinion is slightly biased due to his team suffering from the actions of Haliburton and is stuck with the old school notions of what it means to be a superstar. Advertisement Haliburton has averaged 18.7 points, 9.5 assists, and 5.4 rebounds in 11 games in this season's Playoffs. In my opinion, Haliburton has qualified for the superstar status after carrying a team like the Pacers to the ECF two seasons in a row. Related: "People Might Think I'm Aura Farming": Tyrese Haliburton Feels He "Wasted" The Reggie Miller Celebration
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Tyrese Haliburton Says It Feels Like Stats Are Being Invented To Make Him Look Better
Tyrese Haliburton Says It Feels Like Stats Are Being Invented To Make Him Look Better originally appeared on Fadeaway World. Tyrese Haliburton has always let his game do the talking, but after his historic Game 4 performance in the Eastern Conference Finals, even he couldn't help but laugh at how outlandish his numbers looked. Advertisement 'I feel like we're making up stats at some point to make me look better,' Haliburton joked after notching 32 points, 15 assists, 12 rebounds, four steals, and zero turnovers in the Indiana Pacers' 130-121 win over the New York Knicks. In that one sentence, Haliburton managed to capture the absurdity of his night, a performance so pristine that it felt fictional. No player in NBA playoff history had ever posted a 30-15-10 line without a single turnover. And yet, here was Haliburton, playing with total composure, dictating tempo, and embarrassing defenders with passes and pace, all while keeping the box score cleaner than a freshly waxed hardwood floor. Despite the staggering stat line, Haliburton didn't want the focus to be on numbers. 'It's about winning,' he said multiple times during his postgame presser, repeatedly crediting his teammates for their efforts. Advertisement In a span of 11 minutes with reporters, he used the word 'we' 28 times. For Haliburton, the only stat that mattered was 3-1, the series lead Indiana now holds as they inch closer to their first NBA Finals appearance since 2000. Indeed, Haliburton's unselfish brilliance has become his trademark. While Jalen Brunson continues to carry the Knicks with sheer shot-making and individual heroics, Haliburton orchestrates the Pacers like a maestro. His 44-to-6 assist-to-turnover ratio in the conference finals is not just elite, it's historic. And it's come while pushing the tempo, initiating plays early, and feeding teammates in rhythm from all angles. What's perhaps most striking is how Haliburton has reshaped the expectations of what a superstar looks like. He doesn't fit the mold. His jump shot is quirky. He wears his glasses with pride. He smiles as much as he scores. Advertisement And yet, with performances like Game 4, he's proving that a new archetype of greatness exists, one that values pace, IQ, and precision over iso-heavy domination. His humility also stands out. Rather than basking in the glow of his own numbers, Haliburton shifted praise to Bennedict Mathurin's bench explosion, Aaron Nesmith's gritty defense, and the energy of his teammates. He even shared a meaningful sideline moment with former Pacer George Hill, a nod to those who paved the way. For Haliburton, it's not about padding stats. It's about impacting winning. But if the statkeepers keep inventing new metrics to measure his brilliance, well, who can blame them? He's making history look routine. Related: "This Man Is A Straight Up Menace": Fans Go Wild As Tyrese Haliburton Mocks Jalen Brunson In Game 4 Of East Finals This story was originally reported by Fadeaway World on May 28, 2025, where it first appeared.
