ESPN reporter Stephen A. Smith is caught in a beef with the New York Knicks’ Josh Hart. The pair have gone back and forth, taking shots at each other over the last couple of days.
The exchange began after Smith called Hart out for defending his teammate, Mikal Bridges, who is averaging 9.1 points, 3.6 rebounds and 3.5 assists over his last 11 games.
“I need Josh Hart to be quiet,” Smith said. “Seven picks. … For a dude who can’t even get you 10 PPG?”
Hart responded to Smith’s comments on Wednesday, calling him a part-time Knicks fan.
“For me, I think Stephen A., as a part-time Knicks fan, needs to shut the hell up,” Hart said. “He barely knows guys that are on the team.”
Smith responded on ESPN on Thursday.
“First of all, you don’t know who I know,” Smith said. “Secondly, you don’t know who talks to me. Thirdly, you don’t even know how close I am to the people who cut your checks, Josh Hart. Clearly, you haven’t done your homework.”
Smith also criticized Hart’s argument, citing how he does not need to know a player personally to comment on their game.
“I don’t know sh*t really,” Smith said. “Well, what about 99% of the sports commentators and pundits on television and radio and in newspapers and dot com sites and podcasts all over the country, if not the world? Do they have to know you? What did I say about the New York Knicks that requires me to know anybody?”
Josh Hart slams critics for “unfair” Mikal Bridges criticism
Mikal Bridges’ recent performances have attracted significant criticism for him on social media. Josh Hart came to his defense amid this tough stretch, expressing how the criticism is “unfair.”
“Last year, he didn’t have many plays called for him,” Hart said. “This year, he probably has even fewer plays called for him. So obviously, there’s a mental hurdle he needs to get through, and that’s something where some of us can help him. I think he gets some of that unfair flak just because he’s doing what’s asked of him. And if we were to sit there and say, ‘go shoot 15 shots a game,’ he would be efficient and he could do it. But that’s not what’s been asked of him.”
Despite Bridges’ struggles, the Knicks are in third in the Eastern Conference with a 48-26 record. They are 7-3 in their last 10 and will look to maintain their form ahead of the playoffs, taking on the OKC Thunder on Sunday.
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