Sun Jun 01 03:00:00 UTC 2025: ## Stephen A. Smith Predicts Knicks’ Finals Doom, Skips ‘First Take’ Appearance
**NEW YORK, NY** – Despite the New York Knicks’ Game 5 victory over the Indiana Pacers, ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith was absent from Friday’s edition of “First Take,” reportedly due to his grim outlook for the team’s championship hopes. Even with the Knicks staving off elimination and potentially forcing a Game 7 back at Madison Square Garden, Smith is already looking ahead, and he doesn’t like what he sees.
According to Sports Illustrated, Smith believes the Knicks have “zero chance” of beating the Oklahoma City Thunder in the NBA Finals, should they manage to overcome the Pacers. “I would have to cover an NBA Finals where I’m a New York fan and I literally believe from the bottom of my heart that nothing short of divine intervention would propel them,” Smith reportedly said.
The Thunder, boasting an impressive 80-18 record this season, are considered by some to be a potential all-time great team. Smith’s pessimistic view highlights the significant challenge the Knicks would face against the heavily favored Thunder.
While acknowledging the unpredictable nature of sports and the potential for the Knicks to steal a game and shift momentum, Smith’s comments suggest a fundamental lack of belief in his team’s ability to compete at the highest level.
The situation is particularly notable given Smith’s prominent role as a commentator for ESPN, the broadcast rights holder for the NBA Finals. His preemptive declaration of the Knicks’ impending doom adds an intriguing layer to the potential championship series, should the team make it that far. The sports world will be watching to see if the Knicks can prove Smith wrong, or if his prediction will come to pass, leaving him with the unenviable task of covering a Finals he believes his team has no chance of winning.
First Piper 