"They've Been Winning Ever Since" Stephen A. Smith Believes He's The Reason the Knicks Reached The Finals

Knicks fans spent decades wondering when the franchise would finally return to the NBA Finals. Stephen A. Smith now insists he deserves a small mention in that revival, arguing that New York's fortunes changed shortly after he publicly challenged the team during its opening-round series against Atlanta.

The ESPN commentator has repeatedly pointed to the timing of his criticism following a Game 3 defeat, noting that the Knicks did not lose again after his remarks, according to the New York Post. What began as a television rant has since become part of the chatter surrounding New York's return to basketball's biggest stage.

"I deserve some credit, so I'm gonna take it," Smith said while revisiting the sequence on First Take. The comment was delivered with a smile, but it quickly became fuel for a much larger debate about sports superstition, media personalities and the tendency to connect unrelated events once a team catches fire.

Back when Atlanta held a 2-1 edge, frustration stretched far beyond studio desks. Radio callers vented. Fans questioned the roster. Expectations that had followed the club throughout the season suddenly looked fragile. Smith's criticism landed in the middle of that uncertainty rather than creating it.

What followed was difficult to ignore. New York pushed past Atlanta, then eliminated Cleveland and Philadelphia, securing a Finals appearance that had not happened since 1999. Players produced at a higher level, defensive pressure intensified and close games began tilting in the Knicks' favor.

Smith's effort to claim a piece of the turnaround quickly became a topic of its own. The fascination says as much about modern sports culture as it does about the Knicks. Television personalities now occupy a space once reserved almost exclusively for coaches, executives and star players, meaning their opinions often become events people follow alongside the games.

Nobody connected to New York's bench or roster has credited Smith for altering events on the floor. Jalen Brunson, Karl-Anthony Towns and the rest of the lineup remain responsible for the victories that followed. Yet sports have always left room for lucky charms, strange coincidences and stories that grow larger with every win.

Video snippets from Smith's appearance ricocheted across basketball pages, podcasts, group chats and social platforms because they offered something different from another breakdown of pick-and-roll coverage or shooting percentages. Fans were not arguing over strategy. They were arguing over whether a loud voice on television could somehow claim a share of the credit.

A definitive verdict on that idea is unlikely to arrive. Far easier to establish is Smith's ability to weave himself into one of the season's most unexpected developments, keeping his name attached to New York's Finals run even though the outcome was determined by players wearing the uniforms.