What was that? ‘Friday the 13th’ flashes on screen during Thunder vs Pacers NBA Finals Game 4

Published on: Jun 14, 2025 07:56 AM IST

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Game 4 of the NBA Finals featured a brief glitch during the live broadcast, displaying a ‘Friday the 13th’ graphic.

Game 4 of the NBA Finals between the Indiana Pacers and Oklahoma City Thunder had fans glued to their screens Friday night.

Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) drives past Indiana Pacers center Myles Turner (33) during the second half of Game 4 of the NBA Finals basketball series, Friday, June 13, 2025, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)(AP)

During the first quarter of the live ‘ESPN on ABC’ broadcast, the feed suddenly glitched and cut out briefly. That alone was odd, but what really sent a chill through some viewers was what flashed across the screen during the hiccup: a graphic with ‘Friday the 13th’ popped up for just a split second before disappearing.

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Fans are spooked over Friday the 13th

While ESPN hasn’t issued an official explanation, it didn’t stop fans from speculating. Was it an accidental overlay?

“It was just bizarre,” one fan posted on X (formerly Twitter). “One second I’m watching the game, the next second it’s like Jason Voorhees is about to check in for the Pacers.”

Another viewer added, “It’s not even October. What is happening?!”

Was it a marketing stunt? An inside joke from the editorial team? Or just an ominous coincidence befitting the date?

“NBA Finals broadcast hacked with a Friday the 13th image,” one user quipped.

“Watching the NBA finals and the broadcast cutoff with a split second Friday the 13th logo then went back to normal. Freaky as hell,” another said.

On the final night, the Oklahoma City Thunder pulled off a thrilling comeback in Game 4 of the 2025 NBA Finals on Friday night, rallying late to defeat the Indiana Pacers 111-104 and tie the series at 2-2.

ALSO READ| Thunder break NBA record for total points in a season, including playoffs

For most of the second half, it looked like the Pacers had control. Indiana held the lead deep into the fourth quarter, but the Thunder never panicked. With just over two minutes remaining, Oklahoma City finally broke through, and once they grabbed the lead, they didn’t look back. The Thunder closed the game with a dominant 12-1 run that left the Pacers stunned and the home crowd roaring.