ESPN's Stephen A Smith came out swinging on First Take the morning after the New York Knicks dropped Game 3 of the 2026 NBA Finals to the San Antonio Spurs at Madison Square Garden, directing his fire squarely at President Donald Trump. The Spurs won 115-111 on Monday night, ending New York's 13-game postseason winning streak and cutting the series deficit to 2-1.
Smith had made his prediction plain before tip-off. 'If they lose tonight? I'm looking right at him. I'm blaming him. I'm blaming the President of the United States of America if the New York Knicks lose this tonight,' he said on First Take on 9 June. The Knicks lost. And Smith made good on his word.
