Fans call out Stephen A. Smith for playing solitaire during NBA Finals Game 4: "He’ll be talking about LeBron and Jordan tomorrow"
Game 4 of the 2025 NBA Finals between the OKC Thunder and Indiana Pacers delivered plenty of drama, as the Thunder rallied late for a 111-104 win on Friday in Indianapolis to tie the series at 2-2. But while the game heated up on the court, one sharp-eyed fan caught ESPN analyst Stephen A. Smith appearing to play solitaire on his phone in the crowd.
The fan posted a photo during the third quarter, calling out Smith for checking out of the action despite his role as a prominent commentator. The photo spread on X, sparking criticism.
“How can you have all of these opinions while you’re playing solitaire instead of watching the game @stephenasmith?” the fan wrote.
Other fans jumped in, some suggesting the lapse was unsurprising given the inconsistent national coverage of a finals between two small-market teams.
Cause he never actually talks about the game he’ll be talking about LeBron and Jordan tomorrow 😂
Stephen A. don’t care bout the game because ESPN don’t care bout analysis anyway. All they peddle is drama and clickbait garbage 🤷♂️
Jason Whitlock also criticized Stephen A. Smith:
Here are other fan reactions.
He is a disgrace
They pay him to be an entertainer, not an analyst
When you look at it that way, it all makes sense
ESPN continues to be a joke
No way ESPN pays him 100 million and he playing solitaire
Thunder rise to the occasion, live up to Stephen A. Smith’s pre-game challenge
Despite the distraction, Stephen A. Smith’s pregame commentary proved prophetic. Before tipoff, he had criticized the Thunder for faltering late in games, noting that they had failed to win a fourth quarter in the series up to that point.
“What they've been doing, it's not good enough,” Smith said. “It's not good enough that you've led after three quarters in every game. You gotta show up in the fourth quarter. That's when games are won. That's when championships are won.
“And that's why Indiana is up 2-1 right now because they're the ones playing like they want a championship. Oklahoma City's gotta do the same.”
OKC seemingly took the message to heart, erasing a 10-point deficit with a 12-1 run down the stretch, led by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who poured in 15 of the team’s final 16 points.
The Thunder outscored the Pacers 31-17 in the final frame, marking their first fourth-quarter win of the series.
Game 5 tips off Monday in Oklahoma City at 8:30 p.m. ET.