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Stephen A. Smith Sidesteps ESPN Appearance After Knicks Lose Home Court Advantage
Stephen A. Smith unexpectedly missed Tuesday’s episode of ESPN’s First Take, just hours after the New York Knicks lost their home court advantage in the playoff series against the Atlanta Hawks. The Knicks, seeded third and initially favored to sweep the Hawks, now face a tougher road after dropping Game Two at home.
The Hawks, who traded away Trae Young earlier this season, have found a new standout in CJ McCollum. The guard delivered an impressive 32-point performance to even the series at 1-1, shifting momentum as the teams head back to Atlanta for the next two games.
Smith had confidently predicted a Knicks sweep, but Monday’s loss disrupted those expectations. The ESPN host later explained his absence on First Take was due to a dental appointment, expressing disappointment at missing the show alongside co-hosts Kendrick Perkins and Mike Wilbon.
In a tweet, Smith shared: “This is truly a sad day for me. Bad enough I had to miss @FirstTake because of this damn dental procedure, but to miss the show when BOTH my boys – @KendrickPerkins AND @RealMikeWilbon – are IN-STUDIO… on a day I was scheduled to be IN-STUDIO… I almost cried!
Love my boys. You, too, @shaepeppler.
Damn this sucks. See y’all tomorrow!”
The Knicks’ playoff optimism isn’t limited to Smith. Actor Timothée Chalamet, courtside at Game Two, boldly predicted a Knicks sweep, declaring, “Knicks in four.”
Meanwhile, McCollum embraced his role as the Hawks’ key player, acknowledging the tough challenge ahead. “We’re tough, we’re a tough group.
We’re young, but we’re gaining experience by the day. We compete at a high level, we’ve got great size.
We didn’t play our best basketball tonight, but we gave ourselves a puncher’s chance and did enough to win. Now it’s back to the drawing board, tighten up some things, tighten up some screws, and we’re ready to go,” he said after the game.
Looking beyond this series, Smith may adjust his outlook as teams like the Boston Celtics, Cleveland Cavaliers, and Detroit Pistons appear poised to lead the Eastern Conference. The Celtics, in particular, have made significant strides since Jayson Tatum’s return from an Achilles tendon injury suffered nearly a year ago in the 2025 playoffs.
As the postseason unfolds, the Knicks still have work to do to meet the high expectations set for them at the start of the playoffs.