Stephen A. Smith Reacts to Knicks Advancing to NBA Finals

For the first time since 1999, the New York Knicks are headed to the NBA Finals after sweeping the Cleveland Cavaliers with a dominant 130-93 victory in Game 4 on Monday night.

The last time New York won an NBA championship, however, was in 1973, meaning the franchise is attempting to end a title drought that has lasted more than 50 years - and the Knicks appear to be peaking at the perfect time.

New York has now recorded back-to-back playoff sweeps and won 11 consecutive postseason games to reach this point, giving the team valuable rest and preparation time while awaiting the winner of the Western Conference Finals between the San Antonio Spurs and Oklahoma City Thunder, who are currently tied 2-2.

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Reacting almost immediately after the game went final was ESPN analyst and longtime New York Knicks fan Stephen A. Smith.

"Finally. Twenty-seven years, 27 years… we here! And we ain't finished,” Smith said. “I said we going to the Finals, we going to the Finals. We gonna win the Finals! Four more, four more… four more.”

The Knicks have been led by Jalen Brunson, who earned Eastern Conference Finals MVP honors, but they have also received major contributions throughout the roster.

Karl-Anthony Towns, OG Anunoby, Mikal Bridges, and Josh Hart have all played key roles, while bench contributors such as Landry Shamet, Miles McBride, and Mitchell Robinson have stepped up in big moments when called upon.

New York will likely need that same level of production - and possibly even more - to defeat either the Spurs or Thunder, who are both expected to enter the series as slight favorites when the NBA Finals begin on June 3.

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This story was originally published May 25, 2026 at 10:54 PM.