When the New York Knicks made it back to the playoffs this season, there was a sense of relief among fans. After all, many still remembered how last year ended on a disappointing note.
But now, with the Knicks trailing 2-1 in their series against the Atlanta Hawks, the mood has quickly shifted. Frustration is mounting, and the criticism regarding head coach Mike Brown is growing louder.
Stephen A. Smith’s Recent Comment Regarding the Knicks Head Coach
In a recent episode of ESPN’s “First Take,” Stephen A. Smith had nothing but criticism for the New York Knicks and their head coach, Brown.
“There’s gonna be another head coach in New York City if they lose this series. Several players are going to be gone from New York City.”
“I’m so sick of what I’m seeing right now. I love Mike Brown, but I’m very unhappy right now. The New York Knicks are stinking up the joint. Leon Rose, the honeymoon is over,” Smith said during the segment.
In fact, Smith was so disappointed after the latest loss that he admitted during the show that even while discussing the NFL, his mind was stuck on the Knicks.
“I don’t give a damn. That’s my answer… Right now, what’s on my mind is them damn New York Knicks,” Smith added.
To understand why this reaction is so strong, we need to go back to the 2024-25 season. The Knicks finished the regular season 51-31, beat the Detroit Pistons 4-2 in the first round, and then knocked out the Boston Celtics 4-2 in the second round.
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But in the Eastern Conference Finals, they ran into the Indiana Pacers and lost in six games. Three days after that Game 6 loss, the Knicks fired Tom Thibodeau. That ended his five-year run with the team.
Brown had been let go by the Sacramento Kings back in December, after the team started the 2024-25 season with a 13-18 record. Then, less than seven months later, in July of last year, the Knicks brought him in as their new head coach. At the time, expectations were high, even though many analysts around the league called it a risky move.
To Brown’s credit, the regular season went well as the Knicks finished with a 53-29 record and secured a playoff spot. That gave the fans hope. But now, with the team struggling in the series against the Hawks, those earlier concerns are starting to show.
If we look at Game 3, which was on April 23, the Knicks came out slow and were already trailing by 12 points at the end of the first quarter. By halftime, they were still down by eight points. In the second half, the Hawks added 58 points, which the Knicks could not handle, and lost 109-108.
Just like in Game 2, the Hawks relied on CJ McCollum, who scored 23 points. He also got strong support from Jalen Johnson, who added 24 points. The Knicks had no real answer for either player, and that proved costly in the end.
Game 4 is now a must-win situation for New York. They cannot afford to go down 3-1 against a Hawks team that has clearly figured out how to attack them.
