The New York Knicks have been playing some improved basketball lately, creeping up on the Boston Celtics for the number two seed in the Eastern Conference. However, one wouldn't know that if they got their news from ESPN's “First Take,” where Stephen A. Smith routinely lambasts the Knicks, a team he claims to be a fan of, in theatrical fashion in an attempt to garner viewership.
One person who is not on board with the gimmick is none other than Knicks forward Josh Hart.
“For me, I think Stephen A., as a part-time Knicks fan, needs to shut the hell up. He barely knows guys that are on the team,” said Hart, per Steve Popper of Newsday Sports on X, formerly Twitter.
Indeed, there have been several occasions in which Smith incorrectly claimed certain players were on the Knicks who had moved on to different teams, and other situations where fans had ample reason to question just how much of a fan he truly was.
Over the last couple of weeks, the target of Smith's criticism on ESPN has largely been Mikal Bridges, who, in fairness, has had a frustrating season at times for New York, especially considering the hefty price that the Knicks paid the Brooklyn Nets in order to bring him in last offseason.
Still, at the current juncture, New York would seem to have as good a chance as anyone of making it out of the Eastern Conference this year and to their first NBA Finals in over two decades.
In any case, the Knicks will have a chance to shut up some of their haters when they next take the floor on Thursday evening for a tough road game against the streaking Charlotte Hornets.
