Why Stephen A. Smith is downplaying the Knicks chances to repeat as champs

Don’t start planning another parade in 2027 just yet.As millions gathered in Lower Manhattan to celebrate the Knicks’ first NBA title in 53 years Thursday morning, ESPN’s Stephen A.Smith declared the team as a heavy favorite for another deep postseason run next season – but not necessarily a championship.“We’re gonna keep it a buck.

[The] New York Knicks shouldn’t be the favorites next season, even if they are the champions,” Smith said during Thursday’s edition of “First Take.” “If you know basketball and you’re covering basketball, you know what happened this year.You could look at this team and legitimately say the New York Knicks deserve to be the favorites coming out of the East. “Without question, the Knicks should be the favorites to represent the Eastern Conference in next year’s NBA Finals — not the Celtics.

I don’t give a damn if Jayson Tatum is healthy, okay?”If the Knicks do make it out of the Eastern Conference, however, Smith believes the Oklahoma City Thunder — not the Spurs — pose the biggest challenge.The Thunder came close to back-to-back NBA Finals appearances before falling to San Antonio in a seven-game Western Conference Finals while missing several key players.“We can’t put anything past the Oklahoma City Thunder,” Smith added.“The Oklahoma City Thunder were in Game 7 of the Western Conference Finals.

The Oklahoma City Thunder were without Jalen Williams and Ajay Mitchell, your second and third [best] scorers.”Williams, after initially suffering a left hamstring sprain in the Western Conference Semifinals, returned with a bang in Game 1 win against the Spurs before re-aggravating the injury in Game 2. He missed the rest of the series.As for Mitchell, the Belgian guard sustained a right calf injury, which sidelined him for most of the series, including the decisive Game 7.“When [Williams] is healthy, you can’t key on [Shai Gilgeous-Alexander] the way [the Spurs] did, double and triple t...