The Knicks almost left Stephen A. Smith speechless.
Almost.
The ESPN host and long-suffering Knicks fan was in San Antonio and on the court at Frost Bank Center as the team celebrated the franchise’s first championship in 53 years.
“I don’t even know how to put it in words because I damn sure didn’t play,” Smith said after the Knicks’ 94-90 NBA Finals-clinching Game 5 win. “I didn’t practice like these guys did, they did it. But it’s been 53 long years, and there’s been so many moments of misery that we had to endure as New York Knick fans.
“And to be here tonight, I gotta confess until this series I never thought it’d happen.”
Smith has lived out the roller coaster of being a Knicks fan on ESPN through the years as he has become one of the biggest stars at the network.
Most of that has consisted of him slamming the franchise as they suffered through years of disappointments.
“So many things have gone wrong: The layups that wasn’t with Charles Smith, the [Patrick] Ewings finger rolls, the Game 7s they didn’t come out on top,” Smith said. “Time after time after time… And to be in attendance witnessing the end of a 53-year drought as born in The Bronx, raised in Hollis, Queens, New York City. I’ve been a New York fan all my life, I never thought I’d see it.”
Now, Smith and millions of other New Yorkers have after the Knicks finished off the Spurs in five games on Saturday night with Jalen Brunson carrying them to a 94-90 victory thanks to a virtuoso fourth-quarter performance and 45 total points.
The Knicks ended up winning 15 of their final 16 playoff games after falling into a 2-1 series hole against the Hawks in the opening round.
“I don’t even know what to say,” Smith said. I can’t put into words how this feels. It’s the best feeling I’ve ever had in my life covering sports. I’ve never had a feeling like this. It’s unbelievable.”
