The 2025 NBA Finals between the Indiana Pacers and the Oklahoma City Thunder has been airing on ABC, which means ESPNs announcers have been calling the games and ESPN's NBA studio show has been handling the other parts of the broadcast, including the halftime show.
And man did fans not like what they saw, or rather heard, from Stephen A. Smith, Kendrick Perkins, and Bob Myers during halftime of Game 2, because it was pretty unwatchable.
If you need proof of that, check out this clip that has the three of them just yelling over each other for way too long of a time:
The ESPN NBA Finals halftime show can be tough on the ears. 🏀🎙️🗣️ #NBA #NBAFinals pic.twitter.com/wQ8IrTvB8Y
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) June 9, 2025
That was the definition of brutal television.
Fans rightfully ripped the show over that:
ESPN should have brought in Donovan Mitchell. Smart, speaks his mind and knows what he’s talking about. This show is unwatchable.
— Jeff Goodman (@GoodmanHoops) June 9, 2025
How can anyone listen to this and think this is good television? https://t.co/30MvWAi9hK
— Henny Omega (@CamronSanto) June 9, 2025
And this is why I always mute it and walk away https://t.co/dpY44OUv7S
— Austin Wader (@austin_wader) June 9, 2025
One of the all-time worst sports studio shows, ever. Remarkably awful. Year-after-year. https://t.co/petEBsP8J1
— Cale Ramaker (@CaleRamaker) June 9, 2025
This network is only watchable on mute https://t.co/2mU0wNq3WH
— Logan Basketball🏀 (@LoganMcCuiston2) June 9, 2025
Possibly the worst product ESPN has… no big deal https://t.co/AJfvpkdNFO
— Adam Robinson (@FunkFlashyRob) June 9, 2025
Abysmal https://t.co/IVnofyCgWF
— Joe Beguiristain (@JoeBeguiristain) June 9, 2025
NBC and Amazon can’t get here fast enough https://t.co/N85KLxkRBE
— 2025 Big12 Champs 🌵💰🦅🦅 (@DirkNDez) June 9, 2025
Game 3 is Wednesday night at 8:30 p.m. ET. When halftime rolls around during that one, you might want to find any other way to spend your time than watching those guys again.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Fans Rip ESPN’s 'Unwatchable' NBA Finals Game 2 Halftime Show .
