"Somebody tell this n***a he not playing": Antonio Brown mocks Stephen A. Smith for player-like tunnel entrance for Game 4
Tunnel entrances have become highly anticipated moments in NBA games, and Stephen A. Smith made a grand entrance at Game 4 of the NBA Finals between the Boston Celtics and the Dallas Mavericks at the American Airlines Center, much to the amusement of Antonio Brown.
Stephen A. Smith wore a light pink outfit, complete with a matching coat, pants, and tie, and was followed by cameramen as he entered the arena.
Brown, the former NFL wide receiver turned internet personality known for his unfiltered social media comments, joked that Smith might be overdressed for the event.
“Somebody tell this n***a he not playing 😂😂,” he wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
Stephen A. Smith serves as an analyst for ESPN during the 2024 NBA Finals, where the Celtics currently lead the series 3-1.
The Mavericks secured their first win of the series in Game 4 with a dominant 122-84 victory. However, they still face the daunting task of overcoming a 3-0 deficit, something no team in NBA history has done.
Stephen A. Smith predicted the Dallas Mavericks to win the 2024 NBA Finals
Before the NBA Finals began, Stephen A. Smith predicted that the Dallas Mavericks would pull off an upset and win the series.
The Mavericks had a challenging path to the finals, defeating higher-ranked teams such as the LA Clippers, OKC Thunder and Minnesota Timberwolves.
"I got the Dallas Mavericks pulling the upset and winning this series. I don't like them in a Game 7 in Boston. I like them in 6 in Dallas,” Stephen A. Smith said.
“Could they win a Game 7 in Boston? Sure. Could they lose in 7? Yes they could, but the greatness of Luka Doncic is something I think we gotta be prepared to behold.”
Having lost the first three games of the series, the Mavericks now need to win the next three games for Smith’s prediction to come true.
They gained momentum by stopping Boston in Game 4, securing a 38-point victory, the third-largest margin in NBA Finals history. This ranks behind only Chicago's 96-54 win over Utah in 1998 and the Celtics' 131-92 triumph over the LA Lakers in 2008.
The Celtics still lead the series 3-1, with Game 5 set for Monday in Boston.
The Celtics, the top seed in the Eastern Conference, defeated the Miami Heat, Cleveland Cavaliers and Indiana Pacers in the first three rounds. Game 4 marked only their third loss in the playoffs.
They have history on their side, as all 156 teams that went up 3-0 in NBA playoffs history have won.