Pat McAfee brought the energy and the smack talk to Gainbridge Fieldhouse during Game 4 of the NBA Finals — and he didn’t hold back.
The former Indianapolis Colts punter turned sports media personality took center stage in the fourth quarter, rallying Pacers fans with a fiery speech that directly targeted sportsbooks and ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith. McAfee blasted the oddsmakers and pundits who still had the Oklahoma City Thunder favored, despite Indiana holding a 2-1 series lead at the time.
“Coming into tonight’s game, Oklahoma City was favored by 6.5 points,” McAfee shouted, per Scott Agness. “That makes us the biggest underdogs in the history of the NBA Finals! The sportsbooks don’t know, Stephen A. Smith doesn’t know that when you come to this state, not only do you play the best team in the damn league, you’re also taking on the greatest fan base in the history of sports!”
Tcl Gameday
Smith, earlier that day, predicted a Thunder win in Game 4, even saying the series would end in six if OKC lost a second straight game in Indiana. He claimed Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and company were still the better team and would eventually grind out a seven-game victory. But McAfee wasn’t buying it — and neither was the Indy crowd.
Pat McAfee’s Hype Falls Short as Thunder Close Strong
Fueled by McAfee’s speech, the Gainbridge crowd was electric, hoping to witness another legendary Pacers comeback. For a moment, it looked like they might get it. Indiana took a 101-97 lead late in the fourth after shaking off a Thunder rally.
But then SGA happened.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander went full takeover mode, scoring 12 of OKC’s final 14 points in the last 2:58 to seal a 111-104 victory and tie the series at 2-2. Despite being known as the comeback kings, the Pacers were held to just 17 points in the final quarter by a composed and clutch Thunder squad.
McAfee’s passion was undeniable, but even he couldn’t will the Pacers to a win this time. Still, one thing’s clear — the heart in Indy is as loud as ever, and this series is far from over.
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Dan has been active in sports since 2016 and has worked behind the scenes as a scriptwriter for basketball, volleyball, and other sports. At a time, Dan has also been working as a sports commentator for CBA Pilipinas. During the pandemic, he has also been actively writing betting articles for CashBet and BetNow.
