Stephen A. Smith loses it over Kyrie Irving’s comments: ‘What the hell are you talking about?’

Kyrie Irving’s ability to lead a team was seriously questioned after the Boston Celtics’ dysfunctional 2018-2019 season, and he may have caused some major chemistry issues inside the Nets locker room with his comments about the team’s “pieces” after a loss on the road to the Sixers on Wednesday night.

Irving, who recently returned from a lengthy absence due to a shoulder issue, scored 14 points on 6-of-21 shooting and was a game-low -29 in 37 minutes, and the Nets were outscored by 15 points in the fourth quarter of what was a tight game. Afterward, Irving told reporters that the Nets had “glaring” needs that will have to be addressed in the summer, and that until then, the team will have to do the best they can with the pieces they have.

“Collectively, I feel like we have great pieces, but it’s pretty glaring we need one more piece or two more pieces that will compliment myself, [Kevin Durant], [DeAndre Jordan], [Garrett Temple], Spence [Dinwiddie], Caris [Levert], and we’ll see how that evolves.”

The rest of the Nets, who have a better record without Kyrie in the lineup (13-13) than they do with Irving starting (5-9), may not appreciate Irving’s assessment, even if he is generally correct that teams should be trying to add as many valuable players as possible. On First Take, Stephen A. Smith went off on Kyrie Irving in a classic rant.

“I’m incredibly disappointed in Kyrie Irving right now….. How the hell are you going to make a statement like this? How? You’re 18-22. I got news for y’all, ladies and gentlemen. Kenny Atkinson is doing a hell of a job. Sean Marks, the [GM] for the Brooklyn Nets, is doing a hell of a job. The person that hasn’t been doing their job has been Kyrie, albeit not his fault because he was out for 26 games. When he’s played, he’s averaging 27.

But the point is, considering the fact that you don’t have KD, and they didn’t have you, to be 18-22 led by Spencer Dinwiddie and [Caris] LeVert and {Jarrett] Allen and Joe Harris and the crew – I’ve been very proud of what I’ve seen from the Brooklyn Nets. So the point that I’m trying to make, Kyrie, your statement about ‘we need a piece, everybody can understand that we’re a piece away’ … What the hell are you talking about? That’s why you’re there!

…. What Kyrie Irving said is ‘even if Kevin Durant were here,’ I’m paraphrasing based on his quote, ‘even if Kevin Durant were here and I were here and we are healthy, it’s very glaring that we are missing a piece.’ Who the hell are you talking to? That’s not true! That is not true.”

Stephen A. Smith’s voice nearly reached the record daytime sports TV heights of Shannon Sharpe.

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