Watching the New York Knicks lose Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Finals made Stephen A. Smith sick — literally.
Shortly after the Indiana Pacers wrapped up the Game 2 win, Smith posted a reaction video on X. While clearly frustrated, Smith was more subdued, looking more defeated than angry. Anyone hoping to see Smith’s more angry side was in luck on Saturday.
Before Game 3 of the Western Conference Finals, Smith was asked how he was feeling.
“I threw up, that’s how I feel,” he said. ” I threw up last night; I was so sick and disgusted with what I saw. You cannot bench Karl-Anthony Towns for seven minutes in the fourth quarter. You just can’t do that. The New York Knicks don’t have that. Rick Carlisle can do it, [Oklahoma City Thunder coach Mark Daigneault] can do it. But when you’re a team devoid of depth, one you didn’t work to perfection to develop during the regular season, you don’t wait until the postseason to all of a sudden get exploratory. You can’t have Mitchell Robinson in there at the expense of an All-Star who gives you 24 a night, who just had a big game the night before.
“You cannot do that. But that’s exactly what Tom Thibodeau did, though, and I point the finger directly at him. In the fourth quarter, every time there was a camera shot on him, his arms were just sitting there, just folded, looking completely helpless. Well, damn it, he wasn’t helpless. At the end of the day, you got a situation where Indiana, who’s been the underdog in each one of these games, still came back and won. But I thought what he did was egregious. I thought it was a damn shame.”
Stephen A. Smith on the Knicks: “I threw up. That’s how I feel. I threw up last night; I was so sick & disgusted… For the fourth quarter, I saw [Tom Thibodeau] every time there was a camera shot on him his arms are just sitting there just folded looking completely helpless…” pic.twitter.com/l0docM9EMp
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) May 25, 2025
Smith added that his concern now is that Towns might be upset with his minutes, which could lead to a dip in his effectiveness.
Kendrick Perkins was critical of the defensive effort, or lack thereof, from both Towns and Jalen Brunson. That only led to more frustration from Smith.
“Wait a minute,” he screamed. “That wasn’t any different than Game 1 and it went into overtime. He had a 17-point lead with six plus minutes. It was 14 with 2:50. It was nine with 52 seconds left. You wasn’t saying that then. I don’t wanna hear that now. I’m not saying they played good defense. I’m saying it was good enough for you to win Game 1, but you choked. You blew it. You come into Game 2, and the coach choked as far as I’m concerned.
“Let’s bring up Pascal Siakam. He bust their living ass. That’s what he did. He came out and scored the first 11 points. He sat up there and smoked them in the first half, did it again in the fourth quarter. They had no answer for this champion. I’m not saying Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns is the answer defensively. What I’m saying is that wasn’t the excuse for not stopping Pascal Siakam. Let’s just stop it. Let’s just stop it right now with excuses. There’s no reason for the Knicks to be down 0-2 and on the verge of getting swept.”
Stephen A. Smith with more on the Knicks: “I’M NOT SAYING THEY PLAYED GOOD DEFENSE! I’M SAYING IT WAS GOOD ENOUGH FOR YOU TO WIN GAME 1! BUT YOU CHOKED; YOU BLEW IT! YOU COME INTO GAME 2, AND THE COACH CHOKED AS FAR AS I’M CONCERNED!…” https://t.co/2vGlm77rIR pic.twitter.com/7wTyHVFsx0
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) May 25, 2025
Before finishing his point, Smith exclaimed, “They better win tomorrow night.”