After watching the New York Knicks sweep the Philadelphia 76ers in four games, ESPN's Stephen A. Smith, a noted supporter of the orange and blue, was feeling himself.
Riding high on the momentum of another 30-point win, plus the usual fun and games Knicks fans have become famous for after the final buzzer, Smith brought his celebratory vibes to First Take, boldly declaring that his Knickerbockers aren't just winning the Eastern Conference but the whole darn thing.
“Sixers, my condolences. We'll talk about them. Later, New York Knicks going to the finals,” Smith declared. “I think they can win the championship.”
Very interested by Smith's reaction, fellow correspondent Jay Williams wanted to get a firm confirmation that this is an actual prediction, instead of just a spur-of-the-moment decision. Smith, in his typically flashy fashion, doubled down on his declaration over and over again.
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“I’m taking the Knicks to win the title. I’m taking the Knicks to win the title. I’m taking the Knicks to win the title,” Smith declared. “We winning the chip! We winning the chip! We winning the chip!”
Sitting pretty with a spot in the Eastern Conference Finals already locked up, the Knicks have been on an absolute roll this postseason, outscoring opponents by an even larger average than the reigning NBA Champion, the Oklahoma City Thunder. If the Knickerbockers are able to replicate their success in the ECF against either the Toronto Raptors or the Cleveland Cavaliers, then they will be four wins away from bringing the first NBA Championship back to the Big Apple for the first time this century.
“The New York Knicks are going to the Finals. I think they can win the championship… I’m taking the Knicks to win the title… We’re winning the chip!”
— Stephen A. Smith 🤔
(via @FirstTake)pic.twitter.com/eJY5VEn5By
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) May 11, 2026
After watching the New York Knicks sweep the Philadelphia 76ers in four games, ESPN's Stephen A. Smith, a noted supporter of the orange and blue, was feeling himself. Riding high on the momentum of another 30-point win, plus the usual fun and games Knicks fans have become famous for after the final buzzer, Smith brought his celebratory vibes to First Take, boldly declaring that his Knickerbockers aren't just winning the Eastern Conference but the whole darn thing.