If President Donald Trump attending Game 3 of the NBA Finals ends in a loss for the New York Knicks, Stephen A. Smith is coming for the Republican Party.
When news broke that Trump had been invited to Madison Square Garden for Game 3 of the NBA Finals between the Knicks and San Antonio Spurs, Smith begged the president to stay far away from New York. Trump, however, didn’t listen, and will reportedly be in attendance for Game 3, and maybe even Game 4 at the Garden, just as he was many times prior to becoming president. But Smith has no interest in seeing Trump return to the Garden this week, especially with the Knicks owning a 2-0 series lead over San Antonio.
“If it causes the New York Knicks to lose tonight, I’m blaming him. I’m blaming the president of the United States! And damnit, I hope the GOP loses votes because of it if we lose tonight!” – Stephen A. Smith https://t.co/rrKEjBgLw1 pic.twitter.com/IAZAXJrv0y
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) June 8, 2026
“This president has no business showing up in New York City,” Smith ranted Monday morning on First Take. “I am dead serious. It is selfish, it is narcissistic, it is ridiculous that he is coming to this game.”
Smith pointed to the fact that Trump going to an NBA Finals game at Madison Square Garden, which sits in the middle of Manhattan and on top of Penn Station, is a different level of disruption than when the president attends a football stadium in Texas. It’s going to disrupt traffic, and it’s going to disrupt Knicks fans with watch parties being canceled and fans attending the game at MSG being told to arrive at least two hours early. And if that disruption causes the Knicks to lose, Smith will place the blame solely on Trump.
“If it causes the New York Knicks to lose tonight, I’m blaming him,” Smith insisted. “I’m blaming the president of the United States! I’m gonna stay on that. And damnit, I hope the GOP loses votes because of it if we lose tonight! I’m gonna be against them. All of them! I’m telling you right now. We better not lost tonight’s game.
“I’ve been fair-minded, down the middle as an Independent for a long time. Hell hath no fury like Stephen A. scorned if the New York Knicks lose tonight. I’m gonna be in their ass like back pockets, like white on rice. I’m telling you that right now. We better not lose tonight’s game! We were riding, we were flowing, and this man gonna show up to the Garden tonight. You gotta be kidding me!”
Maybe Trump costing the Knicks a championship will be just the encouragement Stephen A. Smith needs to finally announce he’s running for president. But as much as Trump’s attendance will undoubtedly be a disruption for Knicks fans, it should have no impact on the players or the game. The players will be able to go through their normal routine, and the crowd inside MSG is going to be raucous at tip off regardless of how long the lines to get in the building are because of Trump. But if the Knicks do blow their 2-0 series lead over the San Antonio Spurs, expect a lot of fans to join Stephen A. Smith in blaming the curse of Donald Trump.