After seeing the New York Knicks lose in historic fashion, Chris Canty can’t help but wonder if it’s Stephen A. Smith’s fault.
The Knicks held a 14-point lead over the Indiana Pacers with less than three minutes to go in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals. Prior to Wednesday night, NBA teams in that situation were 994-0. And the Knicks were up by nine with less than one minute to go. Prior to Wednesday night, NBA teams in that situation were 1,414-0. Against all odds, Indiana came back to beat the Knicks. Did the Knicks choke? Do the Pacers just deserve credit? Or was it all because of Stephen A. Smith.
Thursday morning on ESPN Radio’s Unsportsmanlike, Canty told co-hosts Evan Canty and Michelle Smallmon that all of Smith’s ridicule directed at Dallas Cowboys fans in recent years might be coming back to haunt him.
THE CURSE OF STEPHEN A SMITH?
Do you think last night’s Knicks loss was karma for @stephenasmith? 😬 pic.twitter.com/YOyanTDP9L
— UNSPORTSMANLIKE Radio (@UnSportsESPN) May 22, 2025
“Do you think that last night was karma?” Canty asked. “For Stephen A. Smith rocking the cowboy hat and clowning the Dallas Cowboys throughout the football season, knowing how avid of a New York Knicks fan he actually is? Maybe this is like the Sports Gods exacting their revenge on Stephen A. Smith for bullying all the Cowboys fans for their team having the longest conference championship game drought in the NFC. The Curse of Stephen A. Smith.”
Cohen took the opposite approach, attempting to flatter Smith by noting he’s in Oklahoma City for the Western Conference Finals. And maybe, Smith’s absence from Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals at Madison Square Garden was the reason for New York’s historic collapse.
“Stephen A. is factually a good luck charm, everything he touches turns to gold,” Cohen said. “He is the kind right now.”
Canty wasn’t buying it.
“What does Stephen A. Smith always say about the Dallas Cowboys?” Canty asked. “He wants them to be good enough where the fanbase can hope that they can have success once they get to the playoffs. And now the New York Knicks fanbase is the same way…Be just good enough to give you hope! Be good enough to have home court advantage in the conference finals, just to be good enough to believe that you can exercise those demons!”
But not good enough to overcome the Curse of Stephen A. Smith.
Smith has attempted to make himself out to be a sort of Knicks mascot in recent years on First Take. Knicks fans, however, have been reluctant to claim him, wondering if his fandom is more of a bit for the show than legitimate passion. And if it’s the Curse of Stephen A. Smith that ultimately buries the Knicks this season, his celebrity status at Madison Square Garden might have to be revoked.