The New York Knicks were eliminated tonight (between Friday and Saturday) after a 96:92 loss in Miami that set a 2:4 hit in the Eastern Conference semifinals. Among all the disappointed Knicks fans, there was one who vented his frustration live on national television – ESPN’s senior commentator Stephen I. Smith.
Ai Smith attacked Julius Randle (15 points on 3-of-14 from the field) and RJ Barrett (11 points on 1-of-10 from the field) who showed shocking ability and ruined a huge performance by Jaylen Brunson, who had 41 points in -64% from the field almost single-handedly forced game number 7: “Barrett, you’re pathetic. Look in the mirror and work on your game, young man. Randall? I’m sick of this man. I’m calling on the Knicks to trade him.”
“You’re not going to win with Randall,” the commentator claimed. “His body language is bad, as soon as his shot doesn’t go in he’s defeated. He’s a virus that infects everyone, he’s not the answer, send him in a trade. He needs to go. Every playoff is what he does. Bronson made 14 baskets from the field, compared to 13 of everyone else The Knicks players. Pathetic offensive performance. Trade Randle for Damian Lillard or Karl Anthony Towns.”
After the performance of Randle, who capped off another bad playoff run after being named both an All-Star and a third-team All-Star (the Knicks’ only representative in both), a number of fans defaced a photo of him outside Madison Square Garden.
-Meanwhile, in New York and around the basketball world, hats off to Bronson, who fought until the last second and recorded a record for points for a Knicks guard in a playoff game. Miami coach Erik Spoelstra He asked in paragon: “How come this man wasn’t selected for the playoffs or the top five this season? There’s something about the players from Villanova, they’re the toughest there is. You can’t help but appreciate him.”
-Bronson became the only player this season with 40+ points in a game where his team scored less than 100 and also the second Knicks player with 4+ games of 30+ points in one playoff series, after Bernard King.
In addition, the point guard is the second Knicks player next to Carmelo Anthony to score 20+ points in 11 consecutive playoff games. “He’s going to be a New York legend,” commented the Big Apple, “he’s only 26 years old and already a star. The future is rosy.”
“New York, it’s been a great year for us,” he said Bronson at the end “Each of us has to keep working on our game and gain confidence. We have to stay united.” RJ Barrett The 22-year-old promised: “We will come back stronger next season.”
