CLEVELAND, Ohio — Stephen A. Smith is still drunk on the Knicks, even after Cleveland smashed them 107-90 during Game 2 on Wednesday night.
The way Smith framed the conversation on Thursday’s edition of ESPN’s “First Take,” he knew the Cavs would win Game 2. Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland — both of whom should’ve been Knicks, to Smith’s eye — weren’t going to take their Game 1 loss lightly.
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But now? Cleveland must win a playoff game at Madison Square Garden, which Smith believes is a stage the Cavs aren’t prepared to thrive on
“I promise you this: Cleveland ain’t winning Friday,” Smith said. “You can cancel that trip. You thought that Mobley and Allen and them were shivering in Game 1? Wait till they roll up to the Garden on Friday. They ain’t seen nothing like that.”
Smith’s official prediction is Knicks in seven. But after being prodded by co-host Chris “Mad Dog” Russo, he’s thinking about shaving a game. He doesn’t believe the Cavs have enough firepower — “I don’t see LeBron walking through that door,” Smith said — and he thinks the Knicks will shoot and rebound better at home. He could see them winning both Games 3 and 4, losing Game 5 in Cleveland and closing the series at the Garden.
But one thing’s for sure in his mind: “Friday night, Cleveland, No chance,” Smith said. “They goin’ down, I promise you that.”
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