Stephen A. Smith claims to have assisted the New York Knicks in making it to the 2026 NBA Finals. He believes the team may have been inspired by his remarks made during the playoffs. The Knicks haven’t dropped a game since trailing the Atlanta Hawks 2-1 in the opening round.
After winning the series, they swept the Cleveland Cavaliers and Philadelphia 76ers. They made it to the NBA Finals for the first time since 1999 as a result.
Speaking on “First Take” following the Knicks’ Finals berth, Smith cited the timing of his now-viral critique and the team’s subsequent winning streak.
“I deserve some credit, so I’m gonna take it. You know, when I called the Knicks out…They haven’t lost since.”
Stephen A. Smith says he deserves credit for the Knicks’ NBA Finals run
“I deserve some credit, so I’m gonna take it. You know, when I called the Knicks out…They haven’t lost since.”
(h/t @TheNBABase ) pic.twitter.com/I5cZgok8cu
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) June 3, 2026
Smith was discussing his disappointment after the Knicks’ Game 3 loss to the Hawks.
He was furious. claimed that the team wasn’t making enough of an effort. He even declared that significant changes would occur if the Knicks failed to go past the quarterfinals. The Knicks then began to play exceptionally well.
The Knicks defeated the Hawks by a wide margin in all three of their games. They continued to play and defeated both the Cavaliers and the 76ers. +Jalen Brunson was outstanding, contributing to the Knicks’ victory and winning MVP of the Eastern Conference Finals. Throughout the postseason, Karl-Anthony Towns performed admirably on both offense and defense. TV presenter and Knicks fan Max Smith now jokes that Towns must now support the Knicks as well.
