During halftime of Game 5 of the NBA Finals, ESPN's Stephen A. Smith had some rather scathing and off-putting criticism for Indiana Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton, who had been playing against the Oklahoma City Thunder despite dealing with some calf tightness.
"Haliburton has looked awful, and I'm glad he's injured. I'm not saying I'm glad he's injured, but I'm glad we got that as a rationale," Smith said on the broadcast.
Clearly, the calf tightness was bothering Haliburton, as he finished the game with four points and missed all six of his shots. Haliburton's struggles factored into how the Pacers will return to Indiana down 3-2. Even though they lost by 11, the Pacers cut the lead to two in the fourth quarter. A healthy Haliburton could have helped them get over the hump.
ESPN's Stephen A. Smith
ESPN's Stephen A. Smith
Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
Among those who took issue with Smith's words was Boston Celtics NBA champion Oshae Brissett. Brissett, who played for the Celtics during their title run last season and played with Haliburton on the Pacers for a season and a half before that, took to his X account to express his issue with Smith.
In response to Smith's words about Haliburton, Brissett posted a clown emoji. Brissett clearly insinuated what he thought about Smith's comments.
Brissett didn't play a significant role in the Celtics' title, but he was a well-liked and respected player in their locker room. After choosing to leave Boston, he played six games for the Philadelphia 76ers at the end of the 2024-25 season.