'I don't get paid to talk to you'—Stephen A. Smith claps back at Tyrese Haliburton for his controversial comment after Game 3 victory
Tyrese Haliburton via Getty Images
It's Tyrese Haliburton everywhere for all the great reasons. With the ongoing game during the 2025 NBA Finals, the Indiana Pacers are leading the championship after defeating the Oklahoma City Thunder during Game 3.
During a post-game conference after Game 3, Tyrese Haliburton not only spoke about the game but even took a shot at the NBA media, and it did backfire. Popular NBA analyst Stephen A. Smith reacted to Haliburton's statement to the NBA media.
Stephen A. Smith blasts Tyrese Haliburton for his careless commentary on NBA media
During the recent episode of ESPN's show, NBA analyst Stephen A. Smith not only spoke about the great performance of the Indiana Pacers against the Oklahoma City Thunder but also fired Tyrese Haliburton for his controversial take on the NBA media. Smith even labeled Thunders' star's statement ignorant too. He said,
"Win the damn chip, bro.
In the first two games of this NBA final series, you had your moment with 0.3 seconds left. Other than that, you didn't play well.'
He further elaborated—
'That ain't on me. That's on you, you know. And, oh, by the way, just in case he was talking about me, my brother, I'm not going away. I'm gonna be here for a while. So next year, and the year after that… I'm going to be here, and players far more accomplished and far more superior have made their efforts trying to call me out. How has that worked out?"
Stephen A. Smith straightaway lashed out at Tyrese Haliburton and mentioned
"Unfortunately, a lot of guys are not as fortunate as I am from this standpoint.
by Taboola
by Taboola
Sponsored Links
Sponsored Links
Promoted Links
Promoted Links
You May Like
Trade Bitcoin & Ethereum – No Wallet Needed!
IC Markets
Start Now
Undo
They have to talk to you. I don't get paid to talk to you. I get paid to talk about you. Whether I speak or whatever it is, you don't stop this train. It is a locomotive because, you know, we've been No. 1 for 13 straight years."
Things went in a different direction when Tyrese Haliburton revealed that he could not care less about the kind of criticism he was subjected to because the NBA heads had no idea about the sport. Stephen A. Smith reacted to Haliburton's statement as he felt it was aimed at him.
Also Read:
'He'll be the greatest player in the history'—NBA analyst Stephen A. Smith makes a bold claim about OKC Thunder's star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander ahead of Game 3
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
NBA Finals 2025 gets intensified with an unprecedented Flagrant 1 foul by Obi Toppin in Game 4
NBA finals are just getting more intense with each game as the teams go head-to-head, posing serious threats to each other. With the Oklahoma City Thunder securing a much-needed win in Game 4 of the Finals, the series now stands at a tie of 2-2 between the Thunder and the Indiana Pacers. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Game 4, however, was not free from controversy, as there was a brief moment of verbal exchanges between the teams, all thanks to Obi Toppin and the Flagrant 1 foul committed. Obi Toppin commits a physical contact foul as Oklahoma City Thunder point guard Alex Caruso approaches for a dunk The Oklahoma City Thunder and the Indiana Pacers gave each other a tough time throughout the Final series until now. Both teams had a run for each point to secure a safe win. The aggression was very visible within the court, and it became apparent by the recent physical contact between Obi Toppin and Alex Caruso during the second quarter of game 4. The Flagrant 1 foul took place as the Thunder point guard Alex Caruso rushed towards the basket to dunk but met with rather aggressive physical contact with Obi Toppin, causing Caruso to land on his back instead. As Toppin approached to defend the dunk, the player lowered his shoulder to prevent the Thunder player from getting a layup attempt. The foul generated an immediate reaction from the Thunder center, Isaiah Hartenstein, as the player charged at Toppin, bringing the game to a halt and was intervened by players from both sides. Upon reviewing the course of action by the Pacers' forward, Toppin was charged with a Flagrant 1 Foul. The NBA Finals 2025 are taking a rather unexpected turn. Where analysts were pretty confirmed about a one-sided series favoring the Thunder team, with each game, the scenario seems to be different. After winning 2 of the last 3 games, the Pacers put up a strong performance in Game 4 as well. However, the end showcased a sudden twist in the results, with the NBA MVP getting back into his form and securing a win for the Thunder. Also read: Game 4 ended with a much-needed win for the Thunder in order to keep their relevance intact for the Final series. Tied at 2-2, the teams will now face each other for Game 5 on June 16, 2025.
The Hindu
an hour ago
- The Hindu
NBA Finals, Game 4: Thunder rallies to beat Pacers, levels at 2-2
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 15 of his 35 points in the fourth quarter as the Oklahoma City Thunder rallied for a gritty 111-104 victory over the Indiana Pacers that leveled the NBA Finals at two games apiece on Friday. Frustrated for much of the game by Indiana's relentless defense, NBA Most Valuable Player Gilgeous-Alexander found a way to fight through. He followed a three-pointer with a pull-up jumper to give the Thunder their first lead since the first half with 2:23 remaining. They wouldn't trail again, Gilgeous-Alexander adding six free-throws in the final 44 seconds. 'It's a dog fight,' Gilgeous-Alexander said after another intense, physical battle between the two teams. 'Every time you step on the floor, on both ends of the floor they make you work.' Jalen Williams added 27 points, Chet Holmgren added 14 points and 15 rebunds and Alex Caruso chipped in 20 points off the bench for the Thunder. Pascal Siakam scored 20 points to lead Indiana, adding eight, rebounds, five assists and five steals. Tyrese Haliburton scored 18 points and Obi Toppin added 17 off the bench and the Pacers led by 10 late in the third quarter. But Oklahoma City -- who is yet to drop back-to-back games in the playoffs -- clamped down defensively in the fourth, determined not to fall in a 3-1 hole. 'We knew it when we woke up this morning -- 3-1 is a lot different than 2-2 going back home,' Gilgeous-Alexander said. 'We played with desperation to the end the game and that's why we won.' Gilgeous-Alexander said the Thunder must 'maintain the same desperation' when it hosts game five on Monday. Also read | Simone Biles apologises for heated exchange with Riley Gaines over trans athlete participation Indiana struck first in another fast-paced first quarter in front of its energised fans, making four of its first five shots and building a nine-point lead midway through the opening period. Oklahoma hit back, putting together a 9-0 run to tie it, but the Pacers -- with a strong defensive effort on Gilgeous-Alexander and four steals from Pascal Siakam -- emerged from the first period with a 35-34 lead. The back and forth battle continued in the second, when Oklahoma City led by as many as six but could never pull away and Haliburton converted a three-point play -- driving through traffic for a layup and making the free throw, his first of the series -- to put Indiana up 60-57 at halftime. By then, tensions had already ratcheted up. Toppin was assessed a flagrant foul for a check that sent Alex Caruso sprawling under the basket. Thunder center Isaiah Hartenstein confronted Toppin and both received technical fouls. OKlahoma City's Luguentz Dort was later assessed a flagrant foul for swiping an arm over Toppin's head. Toppin gave Indiana the first double-digit lead of the game with a dunk that put them up 86-76 late in the third quarter. But the Thunder dug deep, tying it up three times in the fourth quarter before Gilgeous-Alexander came through. 'You're up seven at home you've got to dig in and find a way and we were not able to do it tonight,' Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said. 'But give them credit. They kept attacking, kept attacking, and their defense was great down the stretch.'
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
Stephen A Smith breaks silence after his Solitaire play during NBA Finals Game 4 goes viral, sparking a two-word response from Kevin Durant
Stephen A Smith and Kevin Durant. Image via: Chris Elise | National Basketball Association | Getty Images | Justin Ford/ Getty Images ESPN's Stephen A. Smith is no stranger to controversy, but even he couldn't have predicted his recent controversy. During Game 4 of the 2025 NBA Finals between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Indiana Pacers, cameras caught Smith seemingly playing Solitaire on his phone during the game. The clip quickly went viral, prompting sharp reactions online, which included a blunt, two-word jab from NBA star Kevin Durant. As fans questioned his focus during such a high-stakes broadcast, Smith chose to address the moment head-on. Stephen A. defends himself after Kevin Durant reacts to the viral photo The photograph of Stephen A. Smith locked into his phone mid-game caused a stir, especially given the tension of Game 4, where the Thunder stormed back to even the series 2-2. With millions watching, the idea of a top analyst playing games mid-game didn't sit well with many. Kevin Durant, known for never shying away from social media, added fuel to the fire by posting a screenshot of Smith playing with the caption: "Cmon Steve. " In typical fashion, Smith didn't stay silent for long. 'Yep! That's me. Who would've thought….I can multi-task. Especially during TIMEOUTS! Hope y'all are enjoying the NBA Finals. This is going 7 games now, peeps!' he wrote on X, brushing off the criticism and making light of the situation. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Exclusive Pre-Launch Offers – SPR Gurgaon Signature Global Book Now Undo Smith posted another post on X, showing off his apparent multitasking. Smith has already been in the spotlight throughout the Finals due to his strong takes on both the Thunder and Pacers. He recently fired back at Tyrese Haliburton for comments aimed at media coverage, saying, 'Players far more accomplished and far more superior have made their efforts trying to call me out. How has that worked out?' The tension between media and athletes has been a running theme throughout this series. On the court, the Thunder pulled off a gritty 111-104 win in Indiana. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the charge with 35 points, while Jalen Williams chipped in 27 points and went 11-for-11 at the line. Chet Holmgren added a monster double-double with 14 points and 15 rebounds. Despite shooting poorly from beyond the arc, OKC made up for it at the free-throw line, converting 34-of-38 attempts. Also Read: Oklahoma City Thunder vs Indiana Pacers Game 4 (06/13): Box score, player stats, game summary and more For the Pacers, Pascal Siakam led the team with 20 points, while Haliburton added 18 but struggled from deep. Indiana's 15 turnovers and 27 fouls proved too much to overcome. While fans stayed locked into the action on the court, Smith's quick game of Solitaire ended up being the unexpected headline of the night.
