NBA finals are never out of fighting spirit. With just 0.3 seconds left, Tyrese fired off a fearless 21-footer, leaving the Thunder bench frozen in disbelief. That wasn’t just a game-winner. It was one of those cold-blooded moments you feel days later. Game 1 belonged to him. But Game 2? A whole different beast. After watching the Pacers handle pressure like seasoned vets, fans believed they’d crush OKC again. And guess what? Even 2x NBA champ Vernon Maxwell got caught sipping the same Kool-Aid.
Tyrese Haliburton turned that impossible-looking game into a jaw-dropping comeback. He yanked his team from the edge of defeat and stole the Finals opener. But if that last-second three didn’t fall, it would’ve been Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s night. That night, he dropped 38 points, the third-most in an NBA Finals debut. Only Allen Iverson’s 48 in 2001 and George Mikan’s 42 in 1949 rank higher. Still, Vernon Maxwell refused to trust Shai’s magic and rode with the Pacers again. The “+11” odds tempted him, and he thought Indiana would cash in. Problem was, fate had already scribbled a different script for the night.
The Pacers’ shot at becoming the fifth team ever to start 8-0 across all four playoff rounds faced a breaker Sunday night. Oklahoma City came out swinging and snatched Game 2, 123-107, evening up the Finals at one apiece. The Pacers had no answer for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who scored 34 points with eight assists, torching them from everywhere. Just like in Game 1, the Pacers sleepwalked through the first half before finally showing signs of life after the break. But this time, that comeback magic was dead on arrival. And somewhere, Vernon Maxwell sat staring at his DraftKings ticket, watching his “+11” Pacers bet evaporate.
In the recent episode of All The Smoke Podcast, Maxwell admitted, “Oh shit I bet, it was the wrong m———-. I am taking a lot of Ls, I got a slowdown but nah!” Maxwell continued, “Them m———-, oh my goodness I overthought this s— and got my head cracked open and s— last night by the Indiana pacers. With them +11 those m———- got their ass killed.” Maxwell didn’t win that bet, not even close. Honestly, how could he?
Considering DraftKings is a $17.9 billion machine, you know it stung extra. Mad Max was probably overthinking life, bad beats, and whether to ride the Thunder wave next time. The Thunder torched Indiana, and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander made their defense look like paper mache. After that kind of beatdown, Maxwell’s probably rethinking his skill for not backing the 2025 MVP and arguably the Finals MVP front-runner, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
We all know that Maxwell’s always been that unapologetic, ride-or-die, never back down from his takes, no matter how sideways they go. But after this “L”, even he might rethink that approach and finally throw his money behind the right squad. Then again, it’s Vernon Maxwell we’re talking about; this guy thrives on chaos. But here’s the kicker. It wasn’t just his betting blunder that took the spotlight on All The Smoke. Mid-rant, he took a sharp turn down memory lane and casually dragged Michael Jordan into the conversation.
Vernon Maxwell shuts down ‘MJ Wasn’t in Shape’ talk for good
Vernon Maxwell isn’t the type to bite his tongue, and on All The Smoke, he made sure everyone knew it. The whole “MJ wasn’t in shape” talk? Maxwell buried that narrative for good. We all know Michael Jordan owned the ’90s, going six-for-six in the Finals and crushing title dreams left and right. The only squad that snuck in during his prime was the Houston Rockets, and Maxwell made it clear they weren’t some charity case.
He fired up, talking about those Rockets squads. The early ’90s team led by Hakeem Olajuwon, who straight-up dominated the league with an MVP and DPOY season in 1994. Vernon reminded folks they opened 23-1 that season and knew from day one they were chasing a title.
When Matt Barnes poked the MJ debate, Maxwell instantly clapped back. “He was there the second year. Y’all gotta understand when he took off 45 and put back on 23, Shaq and them beat ‘em. So let’s stop acting like, ‘Oh, he wasn’t in basketball shape.’ Naw, f— that, he was in basketball shape.”
And honestly, it tracks. Maxwell’s one of the few guys who genuinely got under Jordan’s skin. Their rivalry was personal, loud, and unforgettable. So if there’s anyone qualified to weigh in on MJ’s shape and those Rockets’ rings, it’s Mad Max himself.
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