The New York Knicks and the Philidelphia 76ers have been the most entertaining first-round playoff matchup. Last night, the Sixers miraculously beat the Knicks behind some Madison Square Garden heroics from Tyler Maxey. The Knicks had the game all wrapped up, and then Maxey went on an absolute clutch time tear reminiscent of Reggie Miller in 1995. They made several mistakes in the closing minutes of regulation that allowed Maxey’s flurry of points to bring the game to Overtime. The Knicks made more mistakes and lost the game 112-106, with the Sixers making the series 3-2 and heading back to Philadelphia. Like every Knicks fan last night, NBA analyst and Knicks supporter Stephen A. Smith was devastated.
The Knicks thought to have Game 5 and their series against the 76ers all wrapped up on Tuesday night at the Garden. The Knicks' supporters, including Stephen A. Smith, were in full disbelief following Maxey's four-point shot. After the game, Stephen A. posted a video of his reaction on Twitter. His devastation was palpable, his heartbreak echoing that of every Knicks fan. Stephen A. truly captured what it felt like to be a Knicks fan last night, and it was a tough time for all.
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Stephen A. Smith’s Devastated Reaction To Knicks Loss
Smith, a Knicks fan and host of ESPN "First Take," posted on X immediately after the devastating defeat and seemed to be experiencing mixed emotions of frustration and sadness. The “Dang!” after the prolonged silent disbelief was the perfect start to Smith's response. He asked, “Why did Mitchell Robinson foul Tyrese Maxey on that 3-point shot?” Smith questioned. “Why did Josh Hart make the turnover on the outlet pass? Why did he not convert both free throws instead of just one? What's the reason why he seemed so erratic throughout the game?”
Smith then turned his tirade at Jalen Brunson, who scored 40 points at the game's conclusion. He said of Jalen, “As great as Jalen Brunson was overall with his 40-point performance, did you not notice you had four teammates on the court with you in overtime to pass the ball to instead of taking every damn shot?” the Knicks crunch time offensive was terrible and its the reason they squandered the game away. After missing the opportunity to win the series at home, the Knicks now have to go to Philadelphia for Game 6 on Thursday.
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