The Indiana Pacers and New York Knicks are fighting for control of the Eastern Conference finals in Game 4 on Tuesday evening. The Pacers held a modest lead at halftime and throughout the third quarter, but the Knicks remained on their heels.
Indiana came into the game with a 2-1 series lead after winning the first two games at Madison Square Garden. New York then overcame a 20-point deficit to take Game 3 on Sunday.
As TNT play-by-play announcer Kevin Harlan threw coverage over to the "Inside the NBA" crew for the halftime report, Shaquille O'Neal was seen curling Underdog, a member of the crew who puts the network's telecasts together.
Fans reacted on X to O'Neal's behavior.
"Me calling child protective services seeing Shaq curling a baby," one fan wrote.
"Like it was NOTHING ð¤£," a second user wrote.
"Don’t pull a muscle (or 2) Shaq!" a third fan wrote.
"Shaq knows!" another user wrote.
"Sounds like an epic moment, ððª" a fifth user wrote.
"That line captures the fun vibe of Inside the NBA perfectly,Shaq doing some wild mid-show workout antics, probably with the crew egging him on, and Kevin Harlan adding that signature theatrical intensity to the call,"
"I can't see the forest for the great suits," another user wrote.
The Knicks likely sent a message to the Pacers with the way they manufactured that 106-100 win in Game 3. However, their season is still on the line in Tuesday's game.
A loss would mean having to become one of just a handful of teams that have overcome 3-1 deficits to win a playoff series. The good news, if it comes down to that, is that the Knicks will have Game 5 and Game 7 (if necessary) at Madison Square Garden.
May 21, 2025; New York, New York, USA; New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) and guard Josh Hart (3) react in the third quarter against the Indiana Pacers during game one of the eastern conference finals for the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images
May 21, 2025; New York, New York, USA; New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) and guard Josh Hart (3) react in the third quarter against the Indiana Pacers during game one of the eastern conference finals for the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images
Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images
But a win would essentially mean that both teams will have a brand-new best-of-three series. That scenario would likely favor New York at least a little bit, since it would then regain the home-court advantage.
It lost the home-court advantage in Game 1 when it staged a historic and embarrassing collapse after leading by double digits with less than three minutes left and lost in overtime.