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Vikings' Justin Jefferson caught playing Fortnite at Pacers-Thunder game after Stephen A's solitaire uproar
Minnesota Vikings star Justin Jefferson didn't let front-row seats at the NBA Finals stop him from gaming on Thursday night in Indianapolis. A viral clip from the Indiana Pacers' Game 6 win over the Oklahoma City Thunder shows Jefferson playing ' Fortnite ' on his mobile device as a seatmate thumbs around on his phone. Many fans were outraged to see two people squandering courtside seats along the baseline, which were valued at around $50,000 on the resale market. 'Imagine being rich enough where 10 to 50 thousand dollar tickets don't even matter,' one critic wrote in response to the social media clip. Many others offered some version of: 'Just watch the game.' Of course, the clip appears to come from before the opening tip. And while most NBA fans would feel lucky to watch warmups from the baseline, Jefferson is no stranger to that vantagepoint. The former LSU star is a near-fixture at Minnesota Timberwolves games and was regularly seen sitting courtside throughout the playoffs. A clip from the Indiana Pacers' Game 6 win over the Oklahoma City Thunder shows Jefferson (left) playing ' Fortnite ' on his mobile device as a seatmate thumbs around on his phone The viral clip does serve as another warning for high-profile NBA playoff attendees. Just last week, ESPN's Stephen A. Smith was caught playing solitaire during Game 4 of the Finals. A clip of the distracted sports media personality subsequently went viral, leading Smith to offer a defense online. 'Yep! That's me,' Smith wrote. 'Who would've thought….I can multi-task. Especially during TIMEOUTS! Hope y'all are enjoying the NBA Finals. This is going 7 games now, peeps!' Smith was right about this series going seven games. Oklahoma City entered Thursday with a chance to eliminate Indiana on the Pacers' homecourt, but instead fell 108-91. Now the Thunder will have homecourt advantage for the 2024-25 season finale on Sunday night. Once again, the Pacers bench outshined the Thunder's, as power forward Obi Toppin had a team-high 20 points. Meanwhile, Oklahoma City sixth man Alex Caruso had a -33 plus-minus rating for the game as he failed to score. Jefferson and his Vikings teammates are now done with organized team activities (OTAs) and minicamp. They'll return to the team facility in Eagan, Minnesota when training camp begins on July 26.
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Jim Bob Cooter weighs in on progress this offseason from Indianapolis Colts WR AD Mitchell
By all accounts, Indianapolis Colts' second-year wide receiver AD Mitchell has had a very strong showing throughout the team's offseason programs. "AD's had an exciting start to the offseason," said offensive coordinator Jim Bob Cooter. "He's really been playing good football out there. Getting open, making catches." Advertisement Even through the ups and downs that Mitchell experienced as a rookie, what also stood out was his ability to get open and create separation, particularly against man coverage. With Mitchell's combination of speed and route-running abilities, he can be a very difficult matchup. However, overshadowing that playmaking potential in Year 1 were the miscues. Dropped passes, wrong or mistimed routes, and not being on the same page with the quarterback were all too prevalent. This resulted in Mitchell catching just 45% of his 51 targets and a lack of playing time and opportunities as well. There were some weeks where, by snap count, he was the fifth wideout on the Colts' depth chart. So the big thing for Mitchell as he enters Year 2 is finding that consistency. Advertisement "It's a consistency thing," Cooter added. "Like Shane's talked about with our offense, with our team, with a lot of our guys. Attacking each day with consistency, going out there if you're AD Mitchell and you have some really good ability to go get open and make great catches, well, that's going to be the expectation, day in and day out." Year 2 is often when we see NFL players make the biggest developmental jump. For one, there is the comfort and confidence that comes with having an NFL season under their belt, but they also have a full offseason to work on their craft, rather than focusing on the pre-draft process. Even in a crowded Colts' receiver room that also includes Michael Pittman, Josh Downs, and Alec Pierce, if Mitchell can take a step forward this season and find that consistency, more opportunities will come--in snaps, targets, and in the type of routes he's asked to run--because his skill set, and how he can stress various levels of the field, can add another element to this Colts' passing game. "He's done a really nice job," Cooter added. "He's had a great attitude attacking this spring. He's had some opportunities in practice, and he's made the most of those things, and those will keep coming." This article originally appeared on Colts Wire: Colts WR AD Mitchell with 'exciting start' to offseason programs
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Where does Indianapolis Colts receiving corps rank in 2025 compared to rest of NFL?
As a unit, how does the Indianapolis Colts' group of pass catchers compare to the rest of the NFL? Pro Football Focus' Trevor Sikkema recently ranked each team's receiving corps from best to worst, and included with the wideouts were the tight ends and running backs when applicable. Advertisement Coming in right around the middle of the pack were the Colts at No. 17. "How can you not love the Colts' pass-catching depth?" wrote Sikkema. "Michael Pittman Jr., Josh Downs and Alec Pierce each racked up 800-plus receiving yards in 2024, and Pierce and Downs both earned elite 99.1 PFF receiving grades on deep passes (tied for 11th). Even if AD Mitchell hasn't broken out yet, his status as the team's fourth-best receiver showcases the group's depth." The Colts' unknowns at quarterback overshadow the talent that this offense has at wide receiver and now at tight end with the addition of Tyler Warren. While the Colts didn't have any one of their wideouts eclipse 1,000 yards, they were the only team in football last season to have three different receivers all go over the 800-yard mark. Advertisement Along with the individual production that Michael Pittman, Josh Downs, and Alec Pierce bring, each offers a different skill set as well, which can be an added stressor that defenses have to account for because there are a variety of ways that this unit can attack opponents. As Sikkema wrote, if a high upside, developmental talent like AD Mitchell is your fourth option, that's a really strong wide receiver unit, and now Warren will be in the mix this season, providing the passing game with a steady, do-it-all presence from the tight end position, particularly over the middle of the field. A Year 2 jump from Mitchell and Warren's presence only adds to what defenses already have to account for when it comes to defending the Colts through the air. Between this group and Jonathan Taylor on the ground, with even somewhat steady quarterback play, you can certainly see a path towards success for this offense this season. This article originally appeared on Colts Wire: 2025 NFL season: Where does Colts' receiving corps rank?
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Early bold prediction for 2025 has Colts' Daniel Jones winning end-of-season NFL award
A 'way-too-early' bold prediction for the 2025 NFL season has Indianapolis Colts quarterback Daniel Jones winning an end-of-season NFL award. Jeffri Chadiha of put together his early bold predictions for the upcoming season, and included was Jones winning the NFL's Comeback Player of the Year award. Advertisement " (Shane) Steichen easily could be the man to take Jones to another level, especially when considering the Colts have better skill players and offensive line play than Jones ever enjoyed in New York," wrote Chadiha. "Nobody saw Darnold taking off when he arrived in Minnesota. Jones could do similar things in Indy if he stays healthy." Jones is competing with Anthony Richardson for the Colts' starting quarterback job, but did gain an advantage during offseason programs, as he was able to take all of the first-team reps for most of OTAs and all of minicamp. If Jones does end up securing the starting role, as Chadiha writes, the recipe is there for him to find some success in Indianapolis with the skill position players he has around him and what is expected to be a good offensive line unit, even with some relatively inexperienced players starting inside. Up to this point, Shane Steichen has been "very pleased" with what he's seen from Jones. Advertisement "Very pleased with what we got right now," Steichen said of Jones' play, via Locked on Colts. "He's been doing a hell of a job. Really smart football player. Learned the offense very quickly. Making really good decisions out there through OTAs. Obviously want to carry that over to training camp, but he's done a really good job. Great command of the huddle, ultimate pro." With that said, until proven otherwise, regardless of who is under center for the Colts, major question marks will remain at quarterback for this team. Jones is coming off a 2024 season that began with the New York Giants and ended with him on the Minnesota practice squad before assuming a backup role late in the year. In 10 appearances last year, Jones completed 63% of his passes with eight touchdowns to seven interceptions, and averaged just 6.1 yards per attempt. This article originally appeared on Colts Wire: Bold prediction has Colts' Daniel Jones winning end-of-season award
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Thunder vs. Pacers NBA Finals: Tyrese Haliburton, Indiana once again rise to the challenge to thwart OKC's coronation
INDIANAPOLIS — The ultimate game. That's what coach Rick Carlisle kept saying following the Indiana Pacers' somewhat improbable Game 6 win over the Oklahoma City Thunder, sending the Finals to a decisive Game 7 for the first time since 2016. Advertisement It feels like a window into the Pacers' collective psyche, that all they had to do was take care of business Thursday night and in front of them would be the opportunity of a lifetime. 'One game,' Carlisle said. 'I mean, this is what it's all about. I mean, this is … this is what you dream about growing up, this kind of opportunity.' The notion is simplified, but if you look at the Pacers as a team that has grown in confidence since the NBA Finals have begun, a team that didn't feel it threw away its best chance at an upset two games ago with the Game 4 collapse, this makes sense. There was no stopping the Indiana Pacers on Thursday night. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy) (ASSOCIATED PRESS) They aren't supposed to be here, but they don't know that. Advertisement But they knew something we didn't, something our eyes wouldn't allow us to. If they had a reasonably healthy Tyrese Haliburton — who went through round-the-clock treatment and consultation over the last 72 hours — they could do more than make this elimination game respectable. Haliburton didn't come out of the tunnel like Willis Reed. He wasn't limping around like Isiah Thomas on a bad ankle. It was hard to tell just how hurt Haliburton was, although it surely seemed like he was ailing walking out of Game 5 in Oklahoma City. He had what he called an 'honest conversation' with Carlisle, given how ineffective he was in Game 5 when the Pacers clawed back from a big deficit only to let it slip away with five disastrous minutes, to make sure he wasn't dragging his teammates down. Advertisement But not going out there for Game 6 was not an option. 'I just look at it as I want to be out there to compete with my brothers,' Haliburton said. 'These are guys that I'm willing to go to war with, and we've had such a special year, and we have a special bond as a group, and you know, I think I'd beat myself up if I didn't give it a chance.' But the chance turned to confidence, perhaps buoyed by the healing powers provided by Gainbridge Fieldhouse, and the Pacers rolled to a dominant 108-91 win to send the series back to Oklahoma City. Haliburton's 14 points and five assists don't jump off the page, but the first time he hit a shot he almost looked to the heavens to say, 'Finally ...' after going bucket-less in Game 5. Advertisement 'We've got one game. One game,' Haliburton said. 'It's nothing that's happened before matters, and nothing that's going to happen after matters. It's all about that one game. Just trying to approach it the right way for the next couple days.' Now, they believe. Perhaps the signal was Carlisle not messing around with Haliburton's status, coming right out in pregame and saying Haliburton was ready to go and that his injured calf could handle the rigors of the biggest game in franchise history. "What's the point? I mean, this time of year playing games isn't going to get you anywhere,' Carlisle said 90 minutes before game time. 'We got a job to do tonight. We've got to get ready to battle a team that has been the best team in the league all year long. It's a tough game. It's an elimination game. There's a lot going on.' The Indiana Pacers cannot be trifled with. They cannot be broken. If they buckled, they quickly came back to their feet before any knockout punch could be delivered. Advertisement The Pacers put themselves into the Thunder's luggage, stalling a victory celebration many expected before the night began. The Pacers led by as many as 30 at the end of the third quarter, and the Thunder played their reserves for the final 12 minutes, thus making the score look more respectable than it was. The Thunder are kings in waiting and perhaps will emerge victorious in this series to validate their favored status. But there is no intimidation factor across the way. They don't win the game before walking into the building — at least not yet. The Pacers are almost defiant about looking at the Thunder as some unbeatable juggernaut, claiming with certainty their confidence hasn't grown from the start — but through six games one cannot deny how comfortable the Pacers have gotten. If the Thunder thought they graduated by beating Nikola Jokić and the beaten-up Denver Nuggets, they've found out they're a few credits short of completion and headed to summer school. Advertisement 'I think that's just always been us. I don't think that changed,' Pacers forward Pascal Siakam said. 'We continue to be us, no matter what, and I think that's what makes us who we are.' They morphed into the best of what Oklahoma City has done in this series, providing their own 40 minutes of hell — targeting the league's Most Valuable Player all night. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was in his own personal purgatory, with eight of the Thunder's 21 turnovers that got the Pacers into the open floor when the set offense was taking its time. Every time he turned his back, there was a Pacer, scrapping, reaching, getting in his space to make him think and throw off whatever rhythm the Thunder believed they gained. The Pacers have stymied Gilgeous-Alexander as well as anyone has this postseason, bringing his assist-to-turnover ratio to 27-to-23 in the Finals. For reference, he's a three-to-one performer the past two seasons, but Andrew Nembhard isn't giving him much space and is tireless in making him work. Advertisement One exhausts himself when he knows a championship is close, when it feels likely, when it no longer feels like a dream that is unattainable. Jalen Williams, the Thunder's co-star who's blooming every game, went from putting up 40 in Game 5 to being a ghastly minus-40 in 26 minutes. In the middle two quarters, the Pacers outscored the Thunder by a whopping 62-35 margin, and it wasn't long before the Thunder packed up their things, living to fight a Game 7 on their home floor. And if the Thunder think that will bring them solace, they're in for another rude awakening. 'It's so, so, exciting. As a basketball fan, there's nothing like a Game 7,' Haliburton said. 'There's nothing like a Game 7 in the NBA Finals. Dreamed of being in this situation my whole life. What happened in the past doesn't matter. What happened today doesn't matter. It's all about one game and approaching that the right way.' The Thunder have created a storm they cannot contain, with a seventh game that feels like an opportunity for all kinds of history. The ultimate game.
