Did you see the Knicks / Pacers game last night (as of this posting date)? Yet another Shaq-tastic moment for Inside the NBA history and lore. While the Indiana Pacers and New York Knicks were locked in a heated Game 4 battle in the Eastern Conference Finals, it was Shaqwho once again stole the show—without even touching a basketball.
As halftime rolled around with the Pacers holding a slim lead, TNT’s Kevin Harlan transitioned the broadcast to the Inside the NBA crew. What fans got wasn’t just expert analysis—it was a full-on Shaq spectacle. With the cameras rolling, Shaq casually grabbed Underdog, a behind-the-scenes production staffer known to viewers of the show, and started curling him like a human dumbbell.
Yes, really.
The moment instantly lit up social media. Viewers on X (formerly Twitter) were equal parts amused and amazed by the 7’1” Hall of Famer’s mid-show antics.
“Me calling child protective services seeing Shaq curling a baby,” joked one fan.
“Like it was NOTHING 🤣,” added another.
“Don’t pull a muscle (or 2) Shaq!” warned a third.
Others leaned into the chaos of it all.
“Sounds like an epic moment 😄💪,” one user wrote.
“That line captures the fun vibe of Inside the NBA perfectly,” another chimed in. “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.”
Moments like these are exactly why Inside the NBA remains one of the most entertaining sports shows on television. With Shaq, Charles Barkley, Kenny Smith, and Ernie Johnson at the desk, even halftime becomes must-see TV.
Of course, back on the court, the stakes were high. The Knicks, after clawing their way back from a 20-point deficit to take Game 3, were trying to even the series before heading back to Madison Square Garden. A win would tie things up 2-2 and essentially reset the series as a best-of-three—giving the Knicks a slight edge with home-court advantage.
A loss, on the other hand, would put them down 3-1 and on the brink of elimination. Only a handful of teams in NBA history have come back from that deficit to win a playoff series. The good news? If the Knicks can force a Game 7, it would be played at the Garden.
But none of that stopped Shaq from stealing a little of the spotlight, doing what he does best—being larger than life, both literally and figuratively.