Tag: Stephen A. Smith

Stephen A. Smith on what a fifth ring this year would mean for LeBron James

Stephen A. Smith has vehemently refused to put LeBron James in his GOAT discussion, but he will reconsider if James wins a ring this year.

After their gutsy Game 4 win over the Golden State Warriors on Monday, the Los Angeles Lakers lead the Western Conference semifinals three games to one. Suddenly, they seem to have a real shot at winning the NBA championship this year.

It has already been a miraculous turnaround from their 2-10 start in the regular season, which happened with a roster many felt was incomplete, if not downright broken.

LeBron James hasn’t played his best in the playoffs: His right foot may not be 100% yet after he missed a month with an injured tendon. But he is nearly halfway toward earning his fifth championship ring.

While an increasing number of people believe he has a legitimate argument as arguably the greatest player of all time, others feel it is sacrilegious even to entertain the discussion. One of those others is ESPN personality Stephen A. Smith, but on Tuesday, he said that if James wins his fifth world title this summer, he would “no longer feel insulted” by such a discussion.

“I will acknowledge that I have found it insulting, for anybody, to think that he belongs above Michael Jordan,” Smith said. “If he were to win a fifth title this year, I would no longer feel insulted by that discussion. I would have to concede that. Yeah, I still ain’t putting him above Jordan, but I understand others who might think otherwise. Because for him to take this team from where it was to where it is now … It would warrant a discussion as the greatest player to have ever played this game.”

The big knock on James and his legacy is his six NBA Finals losses, which is more than most of the other all-time greats in basketball history. Jordan, of course, was 6-0 in the championship series.

But if James carries this Lakers team to the world championship, and especially if he were to add a sixth ring shortly afterward while still playing at a very high level, even his harshest critics would have to acknowledge that he has taken his legacy to an even higher level.

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Stephen A. Smith believes Sixers will still fall to Celtics in semifinals

ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith still believes the Philadelphia 76ers will fall to the Boston Celtics in the semifinals.

The Philadelphia 76ers are still alive after overcoming the Boston Celtics in Game 4 on Sunday. James Harden delivered another virtuoso performance: He had 42 points on 16-for-23 shooting and helped the Sixers stave off a collapse.

With the series shifting back to TD Garden for Game 5, this is a 2-2 series and Philadelphia has its chance to reach the Eastern Conference finals for the first time since 2001. There is still plenty of work to be done, but the Sixers have a good chance. ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith is not convinced they will get it done. He hopped on “First Take” to say this:

I don’t believe they can win the title. I don’t believe that. OK. You know why I don’t believe that? Because I don’t believe they’re gonna beat Boston. That’s why. I don’t even get to Miami and New York. I don’t think they’re gonna beat Boston. I’m watching a Boston Celtics squad that’s making a myriad of mistakes that seems out of character, that’s depending too reliant on the 3-point shot, and then I watched a timeout yesterday take place, and Mazzulla said there’s another level we could go to defensively, you know? We got to do it and they put the clamps on the Sixers and came storming back and took the lead. I watched Marcus Smart make plays. I watched Al Horford record not one, but two blocks on Embiid. I watched Joel Embiid throwing pump fakes and being hesitant to go up because Al Horford was defending against them. That’s what I saw! And I’m like, wait a minute now. I watched Jayson Tatum have a couple of blocks. I’m just saying, the Boston Celtics to me are the better team. I got love for Philly, wouldn’t be mad at all if Philly won, rooting for Doc Rivers, my man, my brother loving to death, but I just feel like listen yesterday, as was rather the case in Game 1 was an aberration. I see the Boston Celtics winning this series. Do I believe James Harden making me believe the Sixers can win a title? No because I don’t what Game 1 and Game 4, you will see that the rest of this way and that’s respect to James Harden because I’m very proud of what I saw from him, and he deserves respect and props, but I don’t believe that’s happening again.

Time will tell whether the Sixers will get it done. Logic says the Celtics, who have been through every playoff battle imaginable, will overcome the Sixers and win this series.

However, Harden and Joel Embiid are ready to get over the hump and get the job done in this series. It will be interesting to see how this series continues to evolve.

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Stephen A. Smith in shock after James Harden lifts Sixers over Celtics

ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith was in shock at what James Harden did in a Philadelphia 76ers win over the Boston Celtics.

The Philadelphia 76ers shocked a lot of people when they went into the TD Garden and defeated the Boston Celtics, 119-115, in Game 1 on Monday. The Sixers did so without the services of MVP front-runner Joel Embiid who sat out due to a sprained LCL in his right knee.

They won thanks to the heroics of James Harden. The Beard went for 45 points on 17-for-30 shooting, and he drilled the go-ahead triple over Al Horford with 8.4 seconds left to give the Sixers the lead for good.

ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith hopped on “First Take” and was in shock while heaping praise on Harden following the huge performance:

I gave them zero chance without Joel Embiid. I wasn’t talking about the game, we’re talking about the series. Overall, I give them zero chance without Joel Embiid. I just don’t believe they have what it takes, and then James Harden comes out there and he reminds us of the star that he can be on any given night. Not as an aside, just to deviate a little bit, Doc Rivers. I love me some Doc Rivers. I’ve known him for a quarter century. I love this man, but he and I have had debates about this time and time again, because he gets over sensitive to certain things when it comes to somebody like James Harden. ‘He’s a future Hall of Famer. You hear all the other things about him, but you don’t hear this.’ Well, the reason you hear the things that you’ve heard about James Harden is because we know he’s a future Hall of Famer. So obviously, when the postseason arrives, there are expectations that come with the level of greatness that you’ve distributed or displayed rather, in front of the masses for years and years and years come postseason trike, obviously, we’ve seen a little bit less from. Last night arguably was James Harden’s greatest postseason performance start to finish. I thought he was absolutely spectacular. I never saw it coming.

I did not see this coming, but because it has arrived, the Philadelphia 76ers now have an advantage. They’ve got home-court advantage. This series is going to be very interesting. The Boston Celtics had better get on their game or the Sixers could end up bouncing them out in six.

If Embiid can’t return in this series, then it will still be a very tall task to knock off the Celtics, but if Harden plays like this then they will have a very good chance to do so.

Game 2 of this series is set for Wednesday at 8 p.m. EDT.

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JJ Redick completely ripped Stephen A. Smith for suggesting the Clippers should force Kawhi Leonard to retire

Stephen A. was tripping with this take

Another year, another Kawhi Leonard knee injury. That’s what it feels like at this point. And it’s so sad because Leonard is so good and he works so hard to play.

But now, he’s reportedly got a torn meniscus in the same knee that he tore his ACL in, according to reports from The Athletic’s Shams Charania.

Leonard had missed the final 3 games of the Clippers’ series against the Suns after absolutely torching Phoenix through the first two. With the series shifting to Phoenix, it felt like LA had a legitimate shot to win if Kawhi just played. Instead, a knee injury came out of nowhere and ruined it all.

Now, of course, the predictable backlash is raining in. And Stephen A. Smith might have the loudest reaction on all of it.

He’s been letting Leonard have it. He called the Clippers’ forward the “worst superstar” in the NBA because of his injury history. And, on Wednesday, he also suggested that the Clippers should find a way to force Leonard to actually retire.

To be clear, that’s completely ridiculous. Forcing a player to retire isn’t a thing. And, even if the Clippers could do it, it’d be silly to actually do that from both a practical and ethical standpoint.

Is it fair to question what Leonard can potentially be for you moving forward after yet another serious knee injury? Sure. But losing a player for absolutely nothing — especially a star player — is not how good organizations do business in the NBA. That’s what forcing someone to retire is.

Plus, on top of that, making a player go away definitely feels like a union violation that I’m sure the NBA Player’s Association would have fun with.

Anyway, JJ Redick pushed back heavily against this and used his own playing experience to do it.

“I understand the frustration with the load management issue. What we’re talking about here in questioning his injury…let’s give the guy some credit. He did it in game 1. He went out and battled in game 2. If he could play, he would play. I want to get some clarification on this “worst superstar.” Do you not have any empathy for someone who has come back from two major leg injuries? Do you not?” 

That’s last question is the exact one we should be asking Smith, Chris Russo and anyone else who is questioning Leonard’s injury and its legitimacy.

Being frustrated is understandable. This keeps happening again and again and we’re all losing out on watching some incredible basketball because of it. But it’s probably safe to say that nobody is more frustrated than this than Kawhi Leonard — injuries are not fun.

The best thing we can all do here is wish him luck in getting back on the court as soon as possible. That’s all there is to it.

Fans were with JJ on this one.

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Bryce Young responds to his size concerns ahead of the NFL draft

Former Alabama QB Bryce Young shrugs off size concerns during interview with Stephen A. Smith

Every step of the way, [autotag]Bryce Young[/autotag] has exceeded sky-high expectations. Young was the No. 1 recruit in the country coming out of high school and lived up to the billing by becoming the Crimson Tide’s fourth Heisman Trophy winner, as well as leading Alabama to a national title in his first year as a starter.

Yet, throughout this draft process, people seem to forget about what Young has done on the field and only care about his size. The SEC is the best conference in college football by any measure and he carved it up like a Thanksgiving turkey on a weekly basis. Including going for 421 yards and three touchdowns against the 2021 Georgia Bulldogs defense that many have heralded as the best in CFB history.

On Wednesday, Young spoke with Stephen A. Smith on ESPN’s First Take to discuss the size concerns. Smith mentions the size of another former Alabama QB, Tua Tagovailoa, and the injury concerns he has faced as a result during his time in the NFL as an example.

Young calmly replies by saying, “I think it’s valid, I get it, everyone is entitled to their own opinion. But for me, I’m capable of what I’m capable of. I know who I am. I’ve been playing with a lot of people that have been bigger than me my entire life…It’s something I’m super used to.”

He also goes on to mention that he understands his body and his game and doesn’t expect to run guys over at the next level. Whether it’s on the football field or answering interview questions, Young’s greatest talent is being self-aware of what is going on around him.

Roll Tide Wire will continue to monitor Bryce Young as he prepares for the NFL draft which is only a week away.

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Contact/Follow us @RollTideWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Alabama news, notes and opinion. You can also follow Sam Murphy on Twitter @SamMurphy02.

Will Anderson Jr. says he’d take Bryce Young over Tom Brady

Will Anderson sends waves through the NFL by saying he prefers Bryce Young to Tom Brady

As former Crimson Tide standout [autotag]Will Anderson[/autotag] gets ready for the NFL draft he is doing media tours to gain some exposure. Earlier this week he appeared on ESPN’s hit show First Take, hosted by Stephen A. Smith and is one of the most-watched shows on the network.

While speaking with Smith, Anderson was asked if he would prefer having Tom Brady or Bryce Young as his quarterback in the NFL. Granted, Anderson might be a bit biased, but he said he’s sticking with his former teammate and Heisman Trophy winner.

Smith refuted Anderson’s answer, saying there is no way you can take a guy who hasn’t taken a snap in the NFL yet over a seven-time Super Bowl champion. Anderson was ready though as he responded by saying, “I gotta have my boy Bryce’s back.”

Anderson and Young have a strong chance of being the No. 1 and No. 2 overall picks in this month’s NFL draft.

Roll Tide Wire will continue to follow Young and Anderson’s draft statuses.

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Contact/Follow us @RollTideWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Alabama news, notes and opinion. You can also follow Sam Murphy on Twitter @SamMurphy02.

Stephen A. Smith says Sixers should take care of business, sweep Nets

Stephen A. Smith says the Philadelphia 76ers need to take care of business and just sweep the Brooklyn Nets.

The Philadelphia 76ers are up 2-0 in their first-round series with the Brooklyn Nets as they took care of business at home. This series shifts to Barclays Center for Games 3 and 4, and it looks as if the Nets are not going to return to Wells Fargo Center for a Game 5.

The Nets are a scrappy bunch who have done a nice job recovering following the big trades sending Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving out of Brooklyn, but this version of the Nets is not on the same level as the Sixers. Mikal Bridges is a solid player and the cast around him is filled with role players, but none of them are stars.

ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith hopped on “First Take” on Wednesday and said the Sixers should take care of business and this series should be a sweep:

It’d be a damn shame if the series goes five games, to be quite honest with you, because in Doc Rivers’ eyes it shouldn’t. Take them out. Stop wasting time with them. Stop playing around, and we’ve seen it. As a reporter, you’ve seen it many years when people play down. All of a sudden, you hyped up, you got elite competition waiting for you, your game elevates sometimes, and sometimes when you see inferior competition, you know you can amp it up anytime you want to, sometimes you take your time doing so and that is what I’ve seen from the 76ers. They took their time and when it was time, they said OK, let’s finish this off and get to Game 3. That’s all.

Smith is right. This is a series the Sixers have to sweep. Philadelphia had a chance to sweep the Toronto Raptors in the 2022 playoffs, but they allowed the Raptors to hang around and push the series to a Game 6, in which Joel Embiid suffered an injury that limited him in the second round.

Philadelphia has to handle the Nets rather quickly and move on to the semifinals where the vaunted Boston Celtics will likely be waiting.

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Charles Barkley, Shaq lost it comparing Derrick White to Stephen A. Smith and their hairlines

Shaq and Chuck did Derrick White and Stephen A. Smith dirty.

Oh, man. The Inside the NBA crew was on one late Tuesday night.

They were talking about the Boston Celtics and guard Derrick White … and noting that his hairline might be moving up the top of his head.

(What they should be talking about is how good White has been for the Celts!! But I digress.)

Then? They compared him to ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith. Dang. And Smith caught wind of it and tweeted that he was not too pleased (although the smile emojis tell me that he’s totally fine with it).

Here, go watch Shaq and Chuck and the rest of them completely lose it:

Nets’ Mikal Bridges was ‘pissed off’ after being traded by the 76ers

Mikal Bridges realized how big going to the Phoenix Suns was for his career, but at the time of the trade from the Philadelphia 76ers, he was pissed off for a long time.

Brooklyn Nets forward Mikal Bridges was looking forward to playing for his hometown Philadelphia 76ers when he was selected with the 10th overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft. Bridges even played for the Villanova Wildcats in college so it seemed like a match made in heaven when Bridges was chosen by the 76ers.

Despite how good the story could have been, Bridges was traded to the Phoenix Suns on the night of the Draft for Zhaire Smith and a 2021 first-round pick that became Tre Mann. At the time, it seemed like a good deal for both sides as both teams came away with what they needed at the time.

That didn’t stop Bridges from being upset about the trade. All of Bridges’ family and friends were in Philadelphia so it makes sense that he had some contempt for the circumstances surrounding the trade. Bridges recently appeared on Stephen A’s World on Wednesday to discuss how he felt about that trade:

“I was for a little bit but then, just being in Phoenix, you know, being in that city and meeting so many people. I just wouldn’t be where I’m at if it wasn’t for being in Phoenix and I grew so much. So, it’s actually probably one of the best things that happened to me, but at the moment, I was upset. I was pissed off for a pretty long time.”

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Stephen A. Smith thinks Sixers should give up James Harden for Damian Lillard

ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith thinks the Philadelphia 76ers should let James Harden go in order to pursue Damian Lillard.

The Philadelphia 76ers have bigger things on their mind at the moment as they prepare for an important playoff run in 2023. However, one has to wonder about the plans for the offseason.

The Sixers head into the offseason with a big question to answer regardless of how deep they go into the postseason: the status of James Harden. The Beard has a player option for the 2023-24 season, and one has to anticipate he will opt out either to re-up with the Sixers or to go elsewhere.

Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard could become available to acquire from the Pacific Northwest after the Blazers had a very tough season. Per ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith on “First Take”:

I gotta tell you, for me, I would go the route of Philadelphia. I will say this but I just want to get a little personal here for a second. I’ve known Damian Lillard for years, and, obviously, I love him to death. That’s one of my boys. I will acknowledge on national television, I have begged Damian Lillard for years to come to the New York Knicks. I’m not gonna lie. Like please come to New York. Please! His loyalty to the City of Portland has been unwavering and unshakable. This is the closest that I’ve ever heard him sound to be anything different. He’s been steadfast about being a Blazer his entire career. He loves that city. He loves representing Rip City, it’s just that now you look at the kind of season that they’ve had, I personally think that Chauncey Billups is an executive as opposed to a head coach. I think there’s a different direction they need to move in.

Smith then added that the Sixers should consider letting Harden go to make a move for Lillard:

James Harden is playing outstanding. James Harden is a future Hall of Famer. I got a lot of love and respect for James Harden. I would take Damian Lillard over James Harden in a heartbeat. I wouldn’t think twice. If I was Philly and I could get my hands on Damian Lillard and I had to forfeit James Harden. I’m not talking about trading him. I’m just saying if James Harden walked out the door, so be it because that’s how much I — no shade on James Harden. That’s what I think about Damian Lillard.

Lillard is under contract with the Blazers through the 2026-27 season and that is the issue. The Sixers are going to have to trade for him regardless of Harden’s free agent status. They will likely have to give Tyrese Maxey to the Blazers to facilitate that deal, so it will be interesting to see if that would ever materialize.

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