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With the New York Knicks looking to force a Game 7 against the Indiana Pacers, the team would have a solid outing in Game 5 as they had a 3-1 series deficit coming into it. After some momentum for the Knicks after winning Game 5, ESPN analyst Stephen A. Smith would speak on “First Take” about what would happen if New York were to make the NBA Finals.
On the other side of the bracket, the Oklahoma City Thunder dominated the Minnesota Timberwolves to advance to the NBA Finals, beating them in five games. Despite being down in the series, Smith sees New York coming back and beating the Pacers, but the team would have a “zero chance” of beating the Thunder if they made the title series.
“I was covering the Western Conference Finals, and let me tell you something,” Smith said. “I still give the Knicks a chance to win this series, I had originally picked them to win this series in seven games when people were talking about they were gonna take Indiana out five, I said, ‘I don't know what the hell y'all watching these brothers can play,' but the reason why I haven't been so gung ho about it over the last few days is not just because of the New York Knicks struggles, it's because I give them the zero chance of beating the Oklahoma City Thunder if they would advance the finals.”
.@stephenasmith gives the Knicks a 0% chance to beat OKC if they were to advance to the NBA Finals 😯 pic.twitter.com/BDrlblTNGP
— First Take (@FirstTake) May 30, 2025
Stephen A. Smith explains the Knicks have no chance against the Thunder
With the Knicks forcing a Game 6 to stay alive in the series, Smith would continue to speak on how far Oklahoma City is as a team compared to New York. Smith expressed how the Knicks are outmatched compared to the Thunder and “nothing short of divine intervention” would give them an opportunity.
“Days ago, I'm like, ‘hey, we got a chance. We got a chance.' Then I watched OKC, having to cover the conference finals, and I see those bodies that they're throwing,” Smith said. “And I see the New York Knicks' style of play and the lack of personnel is, and you just see it in the way Oklahoma City defends, and that has taken some of the luster off my championship aspirations for the New York Knicks.”
“Getting there, I'm all for it,” Smith continued. “But I would have to cover in NBA Finals, where I'm a New York Knicks fan, and I literally believe, from the bottom of my heart, that nothing short of divine intervention would propel them. There is no basketball element, ingredient, snippet, whatever, nothing basketball-wise, that makes me believe they could beat Oklahoma City.”
At any rate, New York needs to focus on the task at hand, and that's staying alive in the Eastern Conference Finals as Game in Indiana is on Saturday.
