Doris Burke has achieved a lot in her field, but she hasn’t become the most beloved NBA broadcaster. In fact, over the years, criticism of her has only grown. Now that rumors are swirling about her being fired or at least demoted, fans have begun to notice a shift in her commentary.

Doris has built a reputation for delivering some truly obnoxious takes that fans just can’t get behind. But something that has recently driven a lot of fans up a wall is how she talks about the current MVP, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Fans have accused her of being partial to SGA, defending him even when there’s really no reason to.

But so far, things have been really different in tonight’s game. Not only has Burke refrained from dishing out any odd opinions, she’s been quiet. Like unusually quiet, as if worried. One fan on X even pointed this out as he said, “I don’t know if the rumors about her getting replaced are affecting her, but it feels like Doris Burke is petrified to say anything tonight.”  

Yes, the same woman who called SGA a “free-throw merchant” as though it were praise has remained extremely reserved. Fans attributed her restraint to Andrew Marchand’s report that ESPN might replace Doris Burke. “Burke’s spot is not guaranteed for next season, according to sources familiar with ESPN’s preliminary plans,” wrote Marchand. He says whether her job is predicated on “if they feel Burke is better on a two-person team as opposed to the three-person team.”

As credible as Marchand is as a source, this report is still speculative on his part. But, Doris’ relative silence tonight has led to fans running away with this narrative. Rest assured, they did not hold back on the trailblazing ESPN broadcaster with their brutal takes. And we’ve compiled the best ones we’ve found, so here are the best reactions to Doris Burke’s commentary from Game 1 of the NBA Finals.

Fans react to rumors of Doris Burke’s firing changing her commentary style

If not being able to play off a three-person team was bad, not saying anything might be worse for Doris Burke. “Y’all got Doris Burke barely saying anything 😭 chill on her,” wrote on worried fan on X. Another chimed in writing, “Doris Burke is still awful.” It seems Doris can’t win. It’s a problem if she’s quiet and a problem if she speaks. But given some of her absurd takes, can you really blame these fans?

For years, they enjoyed the incredible dynamic shared by Mike Breen, Jeff Van Gundy, and Mark Jackson. But suddenly, they had to adapt to the ragtag team of Breen, Richard Jefferson, and Burke. And it’s not a knock on the latter trio, but Breen, Van Gundy, and Jackson were simply in a league of their.

That said, the fact that Doris remained silent in the moments when everyone expected her to speak caught many off guard. We’re talking about when this year’s MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scores, by the way, if you haven’t caught on. This seemed like a popular sentiment as one fan wrote, “She’s scared to talk about the MVP for sure.” Burke has previously gone on record comparing Shai to legends like Dwyane Wade. She went as far as to say she “absolutely” loves him. So it is definitely surprising seeing her not be partial to him.

However, this change in Doris didn’t mean the NBA fans’ opinions changed. “Get Doris Burke outta here,” wrote one fan. Another lamented her and Richard Jefferson’s pairing for the 2025 NBA Finals. “So sad we get to the finals and it’s Doris Burke and Richard Jefferson.” Like we said earlier, there’s simply no winning for Doris. And while people hating her might seem a little ridiculous, they do have some reason for it.

Doris Burke definitely seemed different on Thursday. Whether that was down to the rumors we discussed or simply calling an NBA final remains unclear. However, it seems the fans’ perception of her hasn’t changed even a bit. And it probably won’t during this series between the Indiana Pacers and Oklahoma City Thunder. So, Doris, if you’re reading this, just keep doing what made you the first woman to call an NBA Final! (And maybe don’t call SGA a foul merchant again)