Watching the New York Knicks lose Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Finals made Stephen A. Smith sick \u2014 literally.<\/p>\n
Shortly after the Indiana Pacers wrapped up the Game 2 win, Smith posted a reaction<\/a> video on X. While clearly frustrated, Smith was more subdued, looking more defeated than angry. Anyone hoping to see Smith\u2019s more angry side was in luck on Saturday.<\/p>\n Before Game 3 of the Western Conference Finals, Smith was asked how he was feeling.<\/p>\n \u201cI threw up, that\u2019s how I feel,\u201d he said. \u201d I threw up last night; I was so sick and disgusted with what I saw. You cannot bench Karl-Anthony Towns for seven minutes in the fourth quarter. You just can\u2019t do that. The New York Knicks don\u2019t have that. Rick Carlisle can do it, [Oklahoma City Thunder coach Mark Daigneault] can do it. But when you\u2019re a team devoid of depth, one you didn\u2019t work to perfection to develop during the regular season, you don\u2019t wait until the postseason to all of a sudden get exploratory. You can\u2019t have Mitchell Robinson in there at the expense of an All-Star who gives you 24 a night, who just had a big game the night before.<\/p>\n \u201cYou cannot do that. But that\u2019s exactly what Tom Thibodeau did, though, and I point the finger directly at him. In the fourth quarter, every time there was a camera shot on him, his arms were just sitting there, just folded, looking completely helpless. Well, damn it, he wasn\u2019t helpless. At the end of the day, you got a situation where Indiana, who\u2019s been the underdog in each one of these games, still came back and won. But I thought what he did was egregious. I thought it was a damn shame.\u201d<\/p>\n Stephen A. Smith on the Knicks: \u201cI threw up. That\u2019s how I feel. I threw up last night; I was so sick & disgusted\u2026 For the fourth quarter, I saw [Tom Thibodeau] every time there was a camera shot on him his arms are just sitting there just folded looking completely helpless\u2026\u201d pic.twitter.com\/l0docM9EMp<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) May 25, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n Smith added that his concern now is that Towns might be upset with his minutes, which could lead to a dip in his effectiveness.<\/p>\n Kendrick Perkins was critical of the defensive effort, or lack thereof, from both Towns and Jalen Brunson. That only led to more frustration from Smith.<\/p>\n \u201cWait a minute,\u201d he screamed. \u201cThat wasn\u2019t any different than Game 1 and it went into overtime. He had a 17-point lead with six plus minutes. It was 14 with 2:50. It was nine with 52 seconds left. You wasn\u2019t saying that then. I don\u2019t wanna hear that now. I\u2019m not saying they played good defense. I\u2019m saying it was good enough for you to win Game 1, but you choked. You blew it. You come into Game 2, and the coach choked as far as I\u2019m concerned.<\/p>\n \u201cLet\u2019s bring up Pascal Siakam. He bust their living ass. That\u2019s what he did. He came out and scored the first 11 points. He sat up there and smoked them in the first half, did it again in the fourth quarter. They had no answer for this champion. I\u2019m not saying Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns is the answer defensively. What I\u2019m saying is that wasn\u2019t the excuse for not stopping Pascal Siakam. Let\u2019s just stop it. Let\u2019s just stop it right now with excuses. There\u2019s no reason for the Knicks to be down 0-2 and on the verge of getting swept.\u201d<\/p>\n Stephen A. Smith with more on the Knicks: \u201cI\u2019M NOT SAYING THEY PLAYED GOOD DEFENSE! I\u2019M SAYING IT WAS GOOD ENOUGH FOR YOU TO WIN GAME 1! BUT YOU CHOKED; YOU BLEW IT! YOU COME INTO GAME 2, AND THE COACH CHOKED AS FAR AS I\u2019M CONCERNED!\u2026\u201d https:\/\/t.co\/2vGlm77rIR<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/7wTyHVFsx0<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) May 25, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n Before finishing his point, Smith exclaimed, \u201cThey better win tomorrow night.\u201d<\/p>\n \t