Watching the New York Knicks win Game 1 of the NBA Finals over the San Antonio Spurs in person was special for longtime superfan Stephen A. Smith.
He posted a video of himself after the game on Wednesday, June 3, 2026. Smith was encouraging the “Go, New York, go!” chants from the Knicks fans in San Antonio.
“I'm not gonna jinx us,” the First Take analyst emotionally repeated. “We here. You see this crowd? You see what they're doing? It's one down, there's three to go!”
GO NEW YORK GO NEW YORK GOOOO 🧡💙🧡💙 pic.twitter.com/I8pq8BjWDZ
— Stephen A Smith (@stephenasmith) June 4, 2026
He then advised, “We've gotta be cool,” before giving in and appearing happy. Clearly, this series means a lot to longtime fans like Smith.
The Knicks are 3 wins away from their first NBA Finals win since 1973
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Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) and guard Jalen Brunson (11) react
Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images
The Knicks are three wins away from the franchise's first championship since 1973. They beat the Spurs by 10 points in Game 1 of the NBA Finals.
For a while, it was looking dire for the Knicks. They were down by double digits in the third quarter before mounting a comeback, largely led by Jalen Brunson.
Brunson wasn't always efficient, only making 12 of his 31 shots, but he scored a game-leading 30 points. He came alive late, willing his team to victory. Karl-Anthony Towns also scored 18 points and was extremely aggressive attacking the paint while guarded by Victor Wembanyama. He also had 12 rebounds in the game.
The Knicks came into the NBA Finals with more than a week of rest. They swept their last two playoff opponents, the Philadelphia 76ers and the Cleveland Cavaliers. Meanwhile, the Spurs entered Game 1 just days removed from a grueling seven-game series against the Oklahoma City Thunder, the defending champions.
Wembanyama was somewhat held in check during Game 1. He made just six of his 21 field goals, though he made several trips to the free throw line. Wemby made 12 of 13 free throws.
Watching the New York Knicks win Game 1 of the NBA Finals over the San Antonio Spurs in person was special for longtime superfan Stephen A. Smith. He posted a video of himself after the game on Wednesday, June 3, 2026. Smith was encouraging the “Go, New York, go! ” chants from the Knicks fans in San Antonio.