Stephen A. Smith is on cloud nine after the New York Knicks clinched the NBA Finals for the first time since 1999.
New York swept the Cleveland Cavaliers 130-93 in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference finals Monday night at Rocket Arena.
No one felt that more than Smith, a lifelong Knicks devotee. The 58-year-old had already declared on ESPN's "First Take" that New York would win the NBA title this season.
He made his elation impossible to miss, posting a clip to X the moment the final buzzer sounded.
"Finally. Twenty-seven years, 27 years… we here!" Smith said, shaking in delight. "And we ain't finished. I said we going to the Finals, we going to the Finals. We gonna win the Finals! Four more, four more… four more."
The Knicks have been a wrecking ball in the 2026 playoffs. They swept the Philadelphia 76ers in the second round, then ran through Cleveland without dropping a game.
Karl-Anthony Towns anchored Game 4 with 19 points, 14 rebounds, three assists, two blocks and two steals. Jalen Brunson added 15 points and five assists. The All-Star guard was named Eastern Conference finals MVP by unanimous vote. He averaged 25.5 points and 7.8 assists against the Cavaliers.
New York has operated as a well-oiled machine all postseason, posting an average margin of victory of 23.7 points.
The Knicks now await the winner of the San Antonio Spurs-Oklahoma City Thunder series. The Western Conference finals is currently tied 2-2 heading into Game 5 on Tuesday. The NBA Finals tip off on Wednesday, June 3.
The 27-year drought is over in The Big Apple. New York is finally here, and Smith is all for it.
