Stephen A. says the winner of Game 4 wins the series 👀 ‘Pacers are SHOCKING the world!’ | First Take

Stephen A. says the winner of Game 4 wins the series 👀 ‘Pacers are SHOCKING the world!’ | First Take

all right let’s dive right in we know what it is game day a pivotal game four in Indie where the Pacers will look to take a commanding 3-1 lead sga and the Thunder are striving to even the series that’s tonight again on ABC the Thunder might be down 2-1 but they find themselves at a comfortable spot in 19 games following a loss this season the Thunder are 17-2 with a point differential of plus 14 which is third best in a single season all time here’s what I need to know from you Stephen A will the winner of game four win this series yes and and and win the finals i I really believe that i really believe that i think tonight’s winner will win the series i think if the Indiana Pacers win tonight there’s no way on earth that we’re going to look at the Oklahoma City Thunder and think that they can beat this team three straight based off of what we’ve seen fellas that’s what I’m looking at right now i’m looking at an Indiana Pacers team that’s shocking the world tyresese Hallebertton came out played really really well the other night give him props pascal Seakum set the tone with his aggression the Ma Ben Matan coming off the bench and what he’s been able to do dropping 27 reminding everybody he’s not a bench player he’s a guy that started 49 games he’s a guy that was the third leading scorer on this team I’m looking at him TJ McConnell the little engine that could constantly being a professional pest three steals getting in everybody’s face dictating pace constantly trying to push downhill and attack and then guys I saw SGA look tired that really stood out in my mind and I’m going to tell you what’s going on right now in UD tell me if I’m wrong we’re watching you too Joey we’re watching Rick Carile a championship coach prove what he’s all about not only do they push the ball after made baskets but what I noticed they went small when you take a guy like Miles Turner who’s who’s struggling defending and pick and roll situations to be kind right and you put Pascal Seakum at the five okay you’ve got N Smith Nemhar and and and and obviously Matherine you’ve got cats like this coming at you and pushing the pace and being in attack mode oklahoma City’s defense suddenly doesn’t look as formidable as we thought they would and that is what I did not expect to see so I’m of the mindset Indiana wins this game there’s no way in hell they’re losing three straight but if they lose these games if they lose this game four after what we saw happen with OKC the other night that’s going to be a bad sign for Indiana if you can’t win tonight and Oklahoma City comes out and they win tonight I think the winner of tonight’s game wins this series you deep i’m going somewhat agree with you i’m gonna somewhat agree with you i think the winner of tonight games somewhat yeah somewhat dog somewhat i’m going to give you a little bit now if it’s Indiana I say definitely yes nobody comes back from down 3-1 only team we seen do that was the Cavs in 2016 with Bron they came back down 3-1 against the Warriors package if OKC is able to tie this thing if OKC is able to tie this thing 22 I give them a chance because defense wins championships this has been a historical defensive team what they have not done in this series is their identity has not shown for a 48minute game you look at that last game and they gave up 32 points in the fourth quarter they gave up 40 points in the second quarter that is not their identity they also got they gave up more steals indiana had more steals than them indiana had more blocks than them indiana was the more active team on both sides of the basketball they cannot win this series like that but defense wins championships if they get back to their identity they do have a chance to win this series but Stephen A I’m going tell you I was the only person in ESPN i don’t even in ESPN that picked them to win in seven ain’t nobody even gave him a chance okay okay okay you and Mar was it Marcus or Markeff which one picked the Pacers it was you and one of them ky had the Pacers in Marcus okay it was Marcus got it marcus you Marcus and Ky but you I’ll let you wear that crown for today you’re the only one at the worldwide leader okay you you own it i am not going to be I know I love the dogs not going to be able to properly evaluate my basketball without clearing my mind and addressing the fact that no one said it was pajamas Friday i didn’t get the heads up on pajamas Friday neither did you D you know what man i’ve been traveling so much i don’t know what the hell I was going to wear i’m seriously I’ve been traveling so I’m so damn tired man i can’t even put into words but I’m here in my pajamas you’re ready in my pajamas and you’re on point because I agree winner of tonight wins the series it’s very simple okc falls down 3-1 as great as they’ve been you’re not coming back because you need too much that’s outside of your control to break your way three consecutive games in which a you cannot allow Indiana to go offensively kind of like they did in game three but on top of that you can’t have an offensive performance where you just go ice cold we see this we saw it with the Celtics in the first two games against the Knicks there are no guarantees that you can stay at least two average for three straight games while the opponent remains at average or below and even if you get that performance you’re telling me Hallebertton and the Pacers don’t steal one from you at the end of the game like they did in game one like they’ve been doing all postseason to everyone they face so for OKC it’s a death wish you’re out of this thing if you lose tonight on the other side of the equation you win in Indiana you bring stability to the series you go back to OKC where you’ve been phenomenal all year you handle your business and go up 3-2 and then you put the ball back in Indiana’s court and say “You got to figure out how to beat us two in a row.” And I don’t see that happening okc though all the pressure on them today not even close not hyperbole bad situation as a young team if they’re going to try to have to win three straight against a team that doesn’t lose back-to-back games not even that they’re down 2-1 it’s how they’re down 2-1 this is supposed to be an elite defense we got cats like Big Perk talk about this is the best defense we’ve seen in decades don’t look like it these finals don’t look like it at all indiana is scoring on these brothers they’re scoring over 50 points in the ha in second halfs in this series thus far i mean one game they had 66 points in the second half that kind of stuff doesn’t happen to OKC it hasn’t happened all year but it’s happening in these NBA finals and then I’m looking at them offensively jaylen Williams might have had some points but his efficiency wasn’t there lou Doy okay he’s going to spot up and hit threes but if they chase out after him and they force him to move he’s going to either launch a st a set three or he’s going to pass the ball he is no threat thriving to driving to the lane whatsoever and Wigan shows up off the bench in game two he’s a virtual no-show in game three homegrren starts off strong but then he fades as the game waines you’re looking at Indiana and it’s not just that they’re scoring they’re figuring OKC out while tiring them out i we saw Shay Gilis Alexander on the on the floor about three times and boy did he take his time getting up he wasn’t hurt he was using that to rest because he was fatigued somebody for OKC has to step up and say “We can’t leave this up to SGAA against these boys our brother needs help.” And if they don’t do it they’re going to lose all right let me ask you one thing to say to you go ahead go ahead go ahead to to your point Stephen A the one guy that can step up and help them is Chad Homegrren and I know from having a big three you can get through a series without your third guy but you cannot win the championship without your third guy our third guy was Chris Bosch we always knew that we could win a series without Chris Bosch we can win a game without Chris Bosch but the one guy that could turn this series around is Chad Homegrren and I agree with you Stephen that he got off to a great start 13 points in the first quarter then faded away nothing we got six points the rest of the game zero from six from three he is a guy who can get it going from the outside and the inside miles Turner has struggled against that pick and roll but when you get that flare back you got to make a couple of those threes because if you make a couple of those threes that opens things up for SGA and to your point Rick Carile the reason why SGA is tired because Rick Carlile is putting him in every action on the other end he is going through double pick and rolls he is going through triple pick and rolls and then if he gets matched up on Pascal Seakkum he’s getting beat up in the paint sometimes when you got a great offensive player your best defense is to put him in action offensively indiana’s got a little bit of that Muhammad Ali rope though they’re just wearing OKC down they’ve weaponized their cardio to a point where OKC you saw it like you said in the second half generally the larger the sample the more games the heavy favorites should be at an advantage there but the way Indiana is wearing them down as the series goes on especially with a quick 48 hour turnaround you got to wonder what they look like tonight with those legs in the second half all right Stephen we heard Chad Homegrren mentioned by UD how does OKC win tonight well SGA has to shoot better than 35% when he’s being guarded by Nemhard let’s go let’s start there first because you’re throwing bodies at him and it’s showing that it’s wearing him down to some degree he’s got to overcome that you know Jaylen Williams I keep bringing his name up and this is the reason I keep bringing his name up fellas only two players in the NBA made all an AllNBA team and an AllNBA defensive team it was him and it was Evan Mobley you got to show up man you got to show up and and listen you can’t have a situation where you are a toprated defense but you’re getting exposed but you provide no exposure to Indiana’s offense excuse me you got to you you got a collective defense that can neutralize most opponents what’s your problem with these guys we saw Caruso guarding Seakkum in game two and being effective we saw SGA and Jaylen Williams guarding we saw Chad Homegrren and Hartinstein make their defensive presence felt no matter where you look for Oklahoma City you saw a collective defensive effort that styied Indiana what’s the problem now you can’t let that get I mean you got to hack hang your hat on that if you’re going to win the championship and that’s why I’m looking at OKC throw their own medicine at them you know if you can’t push the ball up the floor lock them down do something to disrupt what makes them happy what is their strength their strength is scoring the damn ball shut them down you got an elite defense right act like it and do that because if you’re not flowing offensively but then they are you have no chance no chance trannia is reporting that things are heating up as KD’s business partner Rich Kleinman and the Suns try to find Durant’s next team well we chopped it up with Magic Johnson yesterday on a myriad of NBA subjects listen in on what he had to say about KD and the Knicks kevin Durant is a piece that can actually get you over to win a championship i like him if he could come here to New York for the Knicks brunson needs help and he needs help in the fourth quarter not not see he he going to get you there but then Indiana loaded up against him and everybody else couldn’t deliver so they need a guy like Kevin Durant who can say “Okay Brunson you get us there but I’m going to take us home.” It it it remind me of Shaq and Kobe ud I’m looking at you would KD to the Knicks with Jaylen Brunson make them the favorites in the Eastern Conference no sir no sir and and I love Magic and and I got all the respect for Magic and he’s one of the greatest to ever play the game but I’m not going to overlook the Orlando Magic who’s been one player away for the last couple years i’m not going to look the Cleveland Cavaliers who were the number one team in the East all year i’m not I’m not going to overlook the Detroit Pistons who had K Cunningham and who are on the rise right now this ain’t even about the Knicks who don’t even have a coach first and foremost this is about the other teams in the East who are rising and coming up so I’m not going to overlook those teams and another thing we love KD but we’ve seen him be a part of two big threes already that have not worked there’s no guarantee that he’s going to go to New York and that big three of him and if they keep Cat him Cat and Brunson there’s no guarantee that’s going to work so I’m not just going to automatically give them that what I will agree with Magic is KD is a guy who can get you over the hump kd is a guy who can win the championship for you kd is a guy who can take some pressure off your star player in the fourth quarter but I’m not gonna give him that right away hell no i got I I got news for you UD i agree with you i agree with you and this is about my weal about I you’re absolutely right i mean listen he’s not a downgrade kd is an upgrade wherever he goes we know what he brings to the table and Magic is certainly right that uh J Jaylen Brunson definitely needs him listen I I don’t like the fact that uh you know a a person not that doesn’t play above the rim that’s 6’1 is your star player and when you think about the bigger teams uh in the NBA that you’re going to have to play come playoff time you you’re not you’re not in an advantage in that situation the Indiana Pacers showed that okay so of course Jaylen Brunson needs help but I’m looking at the Detroit Pistons they didn’t have Ivy they didn’t have Stewart against that in against the Knicks in that first round series i’m looking at Cleveland how many teams going to win 64 plus games or whatever in in the regular season and then blow it like that come postseason i think that they’ll be better next year indiana is already here we can’t summarily dismiss that so I wouldn’t put the Knicks as a favorite but here’s the point you’re already in the conference finals so you’re already a title contender i certainly don’t think that KD takes away from that for you i think he’s an additive not a subtraction so I would still support it if you could if you could get him without having to give up your entire damn team to do it because he’s turned 37 in September uh but listen I I’m not going to go as far as to say they’re the favorites to win the East no I wouldn’t do that it’s not even close he’s not a free agent you don’t get to just sign him and bring him in you are giving away assets and Phoenix is not going to take nickels on the dollar it might take quarters but they’re not taking nickels especially when San Antonio and Houston are out there with much better packages all right vision without action is a dream action without vision is a nightmare this is important because the Knicks are acting but they don’t have a vision what is the plan championship contenders have a plan they have an organized plan sometimes it’s a three-year plan sometimes it’s a five-year plan the Knicks got to the Eastern Conference Finals it was an extremely impressive run and then they fired their head coach now if that’s the right decision fine but they’ve made it clear they had no idea what they were going to do afterwards and that’s the troubling thing because when you’re going to run up against Indiana or whoever else we want to lay out I think quietly if Philadelphia stays healthy they could be dangerous that’s they stay healthy it’s a weak excuse me where you from i’m just wondering where you’re from again because no one is thinking about Philly right now i am not on trial here and where I am from is not what matters i appreciate Are you an Eagles fan super Bowl champs i mean who’s not a fan of the Super Bowl champs but back to the issue we done we done trust in the process that’s right i think that’s probably fair first person to bring Philly in the back i think we all agree with that but that’s the problem for the Knicks as we get serious again they have no vision right now there is no vision and that is the You are not winning championships you are not the favorite in a conference i don’t care how weak it is if you don’t have a vision they don’t even know where they want to go with this coaching search so great here comes KD great kd can make you better you’re going to lose assets can he stay healthy can he stay happy all concerns if he stays healthy if he stays happy you’re good but we have no idea who your coach is we have no idea what your plan is no no argument here zero sometimes you just got to wing it

On First Take, Stephen A. Smith, Joe Fortenbaugh and Udonis Haslem preview Game 4 of the 2025 NBA Finals before debating whether the New York Knicks would be the favorites to win the Eastern Conference if they acquired Kevin Durant.

0:00 Will the winner of Game 4 win the series?
7:00 UD says the one guy who can turn the series around for OKC is Chet Holmgren
8:30 How does OKC win tonight?
10:00 Would the Knicks be East favorites if they acquire KD?
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