Home/NBA
feature-image

via Imago

feature-image

via Imago

In a Game 2 showdown that already had enough drama to make Spike Lee sweat through his courtside scarf, TNT’s Kevin Harlan ended up as the surprise casualty of the night, thanks to a flying Jalen Brunson. Yes, folks, the Knicks‘ star point guard didn’t just dive for a loose ball—he dove straight into Harlan’s office mid-broadcast, knocking over who-knows-what and triggering one of the greatest on-air reactions since “Bang!”

With a little over two minutes left in the third quarter, Brunson, who had 36 points on 13-of-27 shooting, hustled to save a loose ball and launched himself like prime Dennis Rodman into the TNT broadcast crew. In the chaos, he actually successfully deflected the ball to Josh Hart for a fast break layup. But what got everyone talking was the moment he took out Harlan’s entire desktop ecosystem in the process.

I’m wet! I’m dirty! There’s stuff all over the place!” cried Harlan, sounding like he just got dunked on by a cup of Sprite and a stack of stat sheets.

ADVERTISEMENT

Article continues below this ad

Honestly, if you closed your eyes and just listened to that quote, you’d think Harlan was narrating a Shaqtin’ A Fool skit, not calling an Eastern Conference Finals game. Michael Scott would’ve retired happy hearing that one, without needing to say, well, if you are The Office fan, you know.

But beyond that, the Knicks dropped the game 114-109, but the clip of Harlan’s dramatic cry instantly entered NBA X’s Hall of Fame, right next to Paul Pierce’s wheelchair and JR Smith forgetting the score. As for the game itself, Indiana’s Pascal Siakam reminded everyone he’s not here to play nice. He dropped a monster 39-point performance on 15-of-23 shooting, basically turning every Knicks defender into a training cone. Myles Turner added 16 points, and Tyrese Haliburton dished out 11 assists even while struggling with his shot (5-of-16 from the field).

On the Knicks’ end, Brunson was doing Brunson things, notching 36 points and 11 assists—on one leg, while also apparently playing safety on defense, given that hit on the broadcast table. Mikal Bridges and Karl-Anthony Towns had matching 20-point nights, but Towns’ -20 plus-minus looked like something you’d expect from someone who just realized the playoff lights are real.

The Knicks actually shot better from the field overall (47.6% to Pacers’ 51.8%), had more rebounds (38 to 32), and hit more free throws. But they still couldn’t stop Siakam from cooking them like Chef Curry in Oracle circa 2016.

What’s your perspective on:

Kevin Harlan soaked courtside—Is this the most entertaining broadcast blooper you've seen?

Have an interesting take?

Kevin Harlan, still undefeated

What makes Kevin Harlan an absolute national treasure isn’t just his voice that sounds like your favorite uncle narrating a boxing match—it’s that he stays locked in no matter what. Even as napkins were being passed around by sympathetic Knicks fans, and Reggie Miller and Stan Van Gundy were probably trying to figure out if the coffee survived, Harlan didn’t miss a beat. Honestly, the man could call a 3-pointer while being chased by a fire-breathing mascot and still make it sound poetic.

ADVERTISEMENT

Article continues below this ad

This isn’t even Harlan’s first time going viral. The man’s resume includes: “A fan has run onto the field!” – when he famously called a shirtless streaker during a Monday Night Football game like it was a 4th-quarter touchdown. Narrating a cat running on the field. And now? Getting baptized by a flying Jalen Brunson in real-time during the playoffs.

article-image

USA Today via Reuters

From Siakam’s efficiency (65.2% FG) to Kevin Harlan’s espresso getting tossed like it owed Brunson money, Game 2 delivered everything: intensity, heart, and memes.

ADVERTISEMENT

Article continues below this ad

Sure, Knicks fans are frustrated—the team is now 2-0, and they’re heading to Indiana, where the crowd’s louder than a Patrick Beverley podcast. But hey, at least they have a new moment to put in their emotional scrapbook: ‘The Night Jalen Brunson Took Flight… and So Did Kevin Harlan’s Laptop.’

And for Kevin Harlan? Just another day at the office. Wet, dirty, iconic.

ADVERTISEMENT

0
  Debate

Kevin Harlan soaked courtside—Is this the most entertaining broadcast blooper you've seen?

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT