The New York Knicks made a statement on Monday night, pulling a Game 1 overtime upset of the Boston Celtics, 108–105. The team overcame a 20-point deficit, with Mikal Bridges stealing the ball from Jaylen Brown to seal the win.
The game is one of the biggest wins in recent memory for the Knicks, who steal homecourt advantage from the reigning NBA champions as they attempt to advance to their first Eastern Conference Finals since 2000. Inside the NBA's Charles Barkley, however, had just one thing on his mind as New York celebrated its monumental win: how annoying Knicks fan Stephen A. Smith would be about it on Tuesday morning.
"Stephen A. gonna be unbearable tomorrow," Barkley said after the game. "I'm keep the volume down on First Take."
"Stephen A. is going to be unbearable" - Charles Barkley pic.twitter.com/XgS4AtYCLo
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) May 6, 2025
If Barkley is already a regular, willing First Take viewer, he's clearly already drawn in by Smith's clamorous charms. Naturally, Smith had a response ready to go as the show opened on Tuesday morning.
.@stephenasmith is powered by orange and blue skies this morning 😅 pic.twitter.com/xSFUAZHvqq
— First Take (@FirstTake) May 6, 2025
Starting next year, the TNT-produced Inside the NBA will air on ESPN as part of the NBA's reshuffled media rights package. Barkley's reaction to the move has been lukewarm at best, but it does open the door for him to go debate Smith himself on mornings like this in the future.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Charles Barkley Had Spot-On Quip About Stephen A. Smith After Knicks’ Game 1 Win.