Team that Lebron joined: 47 - 35 First round exit won title 5 years ago and was rebuilding Team that Durant joined 73-9 Won title previous season Lost by 4 points in Game 7 Had the the 2x league MVP Broke bulls regular season record But most importantly THEY BEAT YOU -OKC Fan,Magic Fan
Kid Wavee Its Not Because Of The Record Or Where They Lost In Playoffs, Its Just The Roster Was Stacked Already, He Took The Team From Another All Star Who Was The Leader And Think He Actually Deserve A Finals MVP & Shit Like Nooo, You Should Be Competing Againist The Best Not Joining Them Thats All
@Myles Poun & Elijah Contreras: Stephen A's mother didn't die...I guarantee you that kD's mom didn't want to be on the same set as Stephen A. He was on vacation!!!!!!
glad to see Stephen back , Molly and Max were holding it down but you notice they had so many different people replacing Stephen a for the week cause Stephen a is just that damn good
LeBron: left a weak Cavs team to join two super stars in Miami, none of whom had played together on an NBA team. They lost their first year together. He didn't join the Celtics who continually beat him, he created his own experimental team. Durant: Joined the team that had won the title 2 years prior and just lost in a game 7. He joined the team that just beat the Bulls regular season record. He joined the very team he lost to in the WCF. He joined an already fully loaded team that would've made the finals regardless.
David Hernandez slightly weaker? you just spoke about competition. there's nothing less competitive than joining the team that beat you after you were up 3-1. lebron didnt go jump on the celtics bandwagon in 2010
At the end of the day, Durant is not the only one who did it. Lebron did it, Ray Allen did it, Garnett did it, Malone did it, Peyton did it, Vince Carter did it, Tmac did it, Shaq did it, and many more before them did it. So stop it! And I don't care for that stupid ass weak reply "but he lost to them" because it's a petty ass retort to change the fact that Durant is trying to win and the Warriors and OKC were not a rivalry and that OKC was a playoff contender, not a championship contender, just like all the other teams. Y'all would still be bitching had Durant went to join the Spurs or the Cavaliers, fucking hypocrites.
DG Productions This comment section is the majority of espn's views. They are entertaining on sports, or at least first take is, but insisting on pushing left wing politics is destroying them and they totally deserve it.
Kevin Durants mom gave Stephen A Smith facts he can't refute so he is taking in circles trying to make his point. She was right Stephen A made the best decision for his future. Kevin Durant did the same. We all would do the same thing
Dj Lee Russ didn't. Duncan didn't. Dirk didn't. AD didn't. And even if any of those guys did, what they would have done would not have been half has bad as what KD did. He's a coward and a snake.
Stop thinking about it in terms of us just playing basketball. Think of it in terms of choosing the best choice for your career. With a few exceptions the vast majority of us would go and work in a place we felt that was better for our careers and our quality of life. That's all that Durant did. Basketball is Durants job/career not just a hobby he has on the weekend.
SAS fired back at full throttle and won that argument. Lebron's move to Miami was different. They weren't a winning team and they were getting killed in the first round. Mama Durant need to do some research better.
Not even close.. Lebron Left a team that wouldnt get to the finals. Lebron and bosh joined a LOSING record team that wasnt good until they were there. KD goes up 3-1 in the conference playoffs agaisnt the BEST team in regualr season history. Then he made the weakest move in NBA history... He joins one of the greatest teams of all time. He broke the NBA, he ruined the NBA. Not even close to what lebron did. CHeck out the power rankings of ALL TIME nba championship teams. Lebrons teams are near the bottom.
someone had to do the same thing back to lebron or he wouldve kept winning rings and KD did and the 2017 Finals was Hella close score wise except games 1 and 4 and it came down to who was better- KD or lebron. the finals network (aka lebron network) didnt advertise it At All but if u look at fox and cbs sports’ websites u can see proof, in that series, THATS WHEN LEBRON STILL HAD KYRIE, lebron averaged 4 points in the 4th quarter of games 2 and 3 (he didnt play game 1’s cuz it was a blowout). FOUR points.. remember? when the cavs had the chance to tie up the series.. and lebron was choking again? then kd hit the series dagger 3 on him and they went up 3-0 and thats what happened to lebron. the best player DOES NOT average 4 points in the 4th quarter of the NBA finals.. go check the stats, KD averaged 11, Kyrie averaged 6, Steph Curry averaged 5, and lebron averaged FOUR POINTS. KD outscored lebron by a combined FOURTEEN points in the 4th quarters of games 2 and 3!!
remember if lebron didnt go back to cleveland literally right after they drafted FOUR lottery picks in a row then KD wouldve never had the leeway to join golden state! gets SMASHED by san antonio in the biggest finals blowouts in history and then leaves to go to a better team, again! THAT’s the weakest move in bball history! and if lebron didnt choke in the 4th quarters of the 2017 finals then then maybe the cavs would still be the ones in tact instead! stop hating just cuz lebron wasnt good enough!
Jason rodriguez So true, hopefully for OKCs sake KD rtns hm (well OKC not Maryland but back to OKC where he kicked off his career) that would be so good for every okc fan and yeap fans would welcome him bk wit arms wide open 🤔and that's a fact if he goes bk to okc well that's a mystery
We live in a time where player's mom's have to be involved aka Javale McGee type of nonsense "stop picking on my baby." Can we get back to basketball 😧
BigGLO Marc bruh you hiding behind a screen while those men are getting millions of dollars and fans. Your just triggered because nobody will remember you expect for your family, but people will remember those basketball stars.
BigGLO Marc nah I said it right your just to stupid to realize it. And you know nobody will remember you and nobody will care about you and your jealous of the NBA players so you say there soft.
My condolences, Stephen A. Smith, after losing your biggest inspiration, but you need to let this go already. Kevin Durant has stepped it up and taken his game to another level regardless of all the criticism he's endured. His team is looking to pass him the ball; he is not coasting whatsoever. He's earned his right to stay on the Golden State Warriors.
Not really. KD is playing the same as he always has, he's just on a better team, with better shooters that moves the ball better and doesn't allow him to be double-teamed.
Sebastian There's no debate that KD has stepped it up. But he could've done the same thing in OKC. Part of what's so annoying about his move is knowing how great Durant is, seeing how well he's played in the Finals, wondering why he didn't give that same effort in OKC. Westbrook, alone, was not the reason.
KD isn't necessarily stepping his game up. There's just less load he's got to carry both offense and defense, thus making him more efficient when he does have the ball because he's conserved his energy while Lebron's gotta play all 48 mins avg a triple double only to lose cuz he's run out of gas the last 5 mins
I just wanted to give my condolences to Stephen A. Smith and his entire family for your loss. I too just lost my mother too 3mths ago.✊💪 We as men have to stay strong in these tough times. There isn't enough words that can cure u thru these times of losing our Mother's....🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹
KD joining the Warriors is not the same as Lebron joining the Heat. Ray Allen was 35 years old when he went to the heat and the Celtics were already talking about trading him because of his decline. Chris Bosh was nowhere near as good as Klay Thompson, or Steph Curry, or Kevin Durant. Defensively Draymond is way better than Bosh. And D Wade was already starting to show his decline by the time Lebron got there. Kevin Durant joined not only a 73 win team that beat him, but he also joined a team of young players at their core with no decline. To top that off, the Warriors have the best coach in the league, if not 2nd best to Popovich. Eric Spolestra is not even close to Steve Kerr's coaching level.
Don't try to sugar coat it SAS.. You said what you said and got called out... Cookie cutting your reasoning to fit the narrative doesn't erased all the similarities between your gripes... LeBron built a super team while KD joined one. You want honey or sugar in your tea... End result - sweet tea.. Ain't nobody momma called this fool to say you're too nice to my son...
Building a super team and not knowing how it will play out is completely different from joining one. Last years warriors were already proven. They broke the record for most wins in a regular season and took the cavs to 7 games in the finals and won a championship a year prior. That Heat team lost to the Mavs their first year together. Btw, I am not a Lebron fan but that move by Durant was still weak.
James From all the bitching and complaining about KD, the fans are weak as Fuck. If you are an OKC fan you get a pass. LeBron fans have zero credibility in this argument. Everyone else, you didn't have a chance anyway so just sit back and watch from afar like us Warrior fans had to endure for 20 years. We've been on a 3 year run and all the schoolgirls act like we're keeping the cookies forever.... In my Conald Dumpt voice...."SAD"
Swisha Give me the people you pick over D.Wade and Bosh from the East... Ray Allen was 3 king as well... Bosh numbers went down but he was a proven stud. D.Wade easily ranks top 5 for position in this era. Don't give me that BS when we used draft picks and a free agent signing.
Ok, but why does it have to be only in the East? He could have went anywhere. He wasn't restricted to stay in the East but I would have picked D-Rose ( this is before his injury) and Melo over Wade or Bosh. I'm also pretty sure the Heat was a mediocre team before Lebron got there. Lets not pretend they were on the same level as last years Warriors.
Stephen A. is right; it was a weak move and we can see the results. An uninteresting league because when you add a superstar of his caliber to a 73 win team you get no competition. You get a sweep through the western conference and probably a five game Finals. He took all the air out of the league with his selfish move.
KD's not only made the NBA less competitive, but it also made it less interesting to watch from a fan perspective, so I agree with you completely. No question KD is super talented, but I also see him as a pussy for not sticking around in OKC to eventually beat the team that beat him in the WCF .. I don't understand his mentality. The true future best should want to beat the current best, no join their team for the sake of getting an easy ring.
Wow! Sounds like a loser to me... Even Lebron himself compared his move to the heat as Durant's to the warriors. Wilt Chamberlain led the NBA in assists and rebounds in 1968, earning an MVP, but was completely fed up with 76ers management. He demanded a trade to a Lakers team with Jerry West and Elgin Baylor that had made the Finals in five of seven seasons and ended up taking them to five more Finals in six seasons. The trade helped set up some of the most legendary Finals in NBA history. Earl Monroe couldn't win it all with the Bullets, so he demanded a deal and refused to play, ending up on a Knicks team that had won the championship a year earlier. Teamed up with Clyde Frazier, Willis Reed and four other Hall of Famers, they won another title in 1973. The trade changed Monroe's legacy to that a player whose career is remembered as having plenty of substance, not just flash. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar eventually got tired of living in Milwaukee, so he demanded a trade to either New York or Los Angeles. With the Lakers, he eventually was joined by Magic Johnson and James Worthy and won five championships. We remember Abdul-Jabbar as a member of that Lakers dynasty, not so much as the young Buck who played next to Oscar Robertson under the name Lew Alcindor. Bill Walton fought the Trail Blazers, demanding a trade and sitting out an entire season when they refused to honor it. When his contract with the Clippers was up, he limited his choices to the dominant Lakers and the dominant Celtics, eventually having a late-career resurgence with the Celtics. We think of his contributions to those Celtics as a symbol of his perseverance, not a sign of his weakness for refusing to stick it out in Portland or San Diego. Moses Malone won the MVP with the Rockets in 1982, then signed with a 76ers team that had made the NBA Finals the year before. The Rockets had the right to match the offer and did, but eventually traded Malone to the Sixers, where he would win the MVP and the NBA championship in 1983. We remember Malone not for pushing his way out of Houston, but for the utter dominance he displayed with both teams. And after free agency happened, NBA greats continued to ask for trades or sign to improve their situation. Shaquille O'Neal left Orlando as a free agent for the Lakers, where he played with Kobe Bryant and won three rings, and then demanded a trade to Miami, where he also won a ring. We don't fault Shaq now for his team switching. We view him as an all-time great capable of shaping the NBA to his desires. Clyde Drexler lost twice in the NBA Finals with the Blazers, but eventually requested a trade to a team where he might win a title. He ended up in his hometown of Houston with Hakeem Olajuwon, where they won in 1995. We don't fault him for failing to make it over the hump in Portland. We celebrate his eventual success in Houston. Kevin Garnett suffered many years in Minnesota, but eventually got traded to Boston to play with Paul Pierce and Ray Allen. We wouldn't view Garnett as the wise old man of the NBA if he hadn't won a ring, and he never would've won a ring if he kept fighting on hopelessly in Minnesota. And then there's LeBron James. James has now twice made a basketball decision to leave a team. He realized the Cavaliers teams of the late 2000s had reached their ultimate potential and moved to join Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh in Miami. Two championships later, he realized Wade and Bosh were declining, and moved to join Kyrie Irving in Cleveland. Both of James' moves have been successes. We view them differently, because one saw James ditch his long-suffering hometown and the other saw him become Cleveland's savior, but from a basketball perspective, they had similar motives. And both resulted in championships. Do Not Forget one fact no one talks about: Warriors is holding the best NBA drafts currently, maybe they're just too smart of an organization than most of the other teams. 3 out 5 starters were actually drafted by the warriors: Draft Year: 2009 Round 1 Pick 7 Player: Mr. Stephen Curry Draft Year: 2010 Round 1 Pick 11 Player: Mr. Klay Thompson Draft Year: 2012 Round 2 Pick 35 Player: Mr. Draymon Green Haters gonna hate | Losers gonna sound like Stephen A. Smith
You fail to realize that out of all the examples you gave, there was never a time where those teams were expected to go to and win the NBA finals over a 5 year span. There was always other competition in the mix so that even if the team was stacked and expected to win, shit happened and other teams were able to take them down. The warriors have been to 2 finals without KD and should have won both of them and now they have KD. The cavs are the only team that has a chance against them and they're about to get swept. There is no team in sight that can take the warriors down within the next 2-3 years. It's gonna be at least 5 straight years of seeing the same 2 teams in the finals and that's whack. All the teams you mentioned never went to 5 straight finals against another team you know why? Because THERE WAS COMPETITION/SUSPENSE. Even if the team was expected to win it was never guaranteed. The most powerful weapon in the league (and it's not even close) to try and take down the warriors is about to get swept. Are you kidding me? What don't you understand?
Last year we had good games like GSW vs OKC. This year, which game had any competition? None. From both sides. It's not worth to wait 1 year to watch 4 to 7 games.
Blaiyan so I've been watch NBA for the past 17 years of my life. This is the least amount of regular and post season games I've seen in a long time. I'm not really a Cavs or Warriors fan, but I love watching intense basketball. This is a pure one sided beating.
Joshua R maybe, but also a smart business move. Didn't LeBron leave Cleveland yo join a super team with hella former all stars to better his career and then return once Kyrie was balling and they could get Love?
Bosh and D-Wade were both still great. Take Bosh or Wade off that team then they don't win a ring, HOWEVER, take LBJ off that team and they don't make it past the ecf. KD joined a team with already established superstars/all-stars in their primes, now, this GSW team would have inevitably made the finals, would have won at least 3 games anyway. KD had good stats but understand that the three of Klay, Curry and Dray would have done it without him, maybe lost game 3 and 4 but would have won game 5. I still think Cavs are gonna win the series, not much enthusiasm for some others, GSW fans are smug cunts as always, but I feel like Cavs would still win this series.
Not a weak move if he fits perfectly in that offense and makes him a better player in both sides of the ball. You just hate all you want while KD makes Lebron sorry, tired, and old. I am not a Lebron hater by the way, I just speak the truth
Wrong. Weak as hell. It's like playing pickup basketball and stacking your team with the best players on the court. Yes you win, but the narrative changes because it was a weak ass move. That's why underdogs are always valued higher.
I was critical of the move myself at first (been a KD fan since Montrose Christian days).. but basically, it was the best move for him and his career. While also being an indictment against Russell Westbrook, by KD basically saying that he couldn't win with him.. or, he just got tired of playing with him. And wanted to play for a team that had the most unselfish collection of superstars. Plus he's shown that he's still *The Man* as well.
His mom raised his to be a good man with a good heart first and foremost His mom gave his the strength to make it to the NBA which he worked hard for all his life. SAS has no business saying KD ruined what she raised him to be
Team that Lebron joined:
47 - 35
First round exit
won title 5 years ago and was rebuilding
Team that Durant joined
73-9
Won title previous season
Lost by 4 points in Game 7
Had the the 2x league MVP
Broke bulls regular season record
But most importantly THEY BEAT YOU
-OKC Fan,Magic Fan
FACTS!
Alejandro Jr Ayala he still needed to join wades team to learn how to win stop bringing up a record from a team that didn't have Chris bosh
Kid Wavee Its Not Because Of The Record Or Where They Lost In Playoffs, Its Just The Roster Was Stacked Already, He Took The Team From Another All Star Who Was The Leader And Think He Actually Deserve A Finals MVP & Shit Like Nooo, You Should Be Competing Againist The Best Not Joining Them Thats All
Forgot to mention KD lost to the Warriors which he had a 3-1 lead against only to loose to GSW
@@brashadcarr6759 stop making up stuff "learn how to win" he carried the 2007 team to the finals. He had no help the first 7 years of his career
He speaking straight facts
NOBODY GIVES A FUCK Be Gone Bitch 🤔
NOBODY GIVES A FUCK Be Gone Bitch 💯💯
he is speaking straight bs because he is salty he got exposed
Andrew066 nope
The tyrone yeah it is the truth but I guess you can't see that. On that bandwagon hate train
Welcome back Stephen A.
Blank Face ' '
yall hate him when he here when he gone you miss him wtf
Ares Henriquez exactly
Phon Xieng kinda like how people gonna miss lebron lmao
Roderick Redus boy your name is Roderick lmfaooooooo
He absolutely roasted Zaza and JaVale at the end
He better learn how to pronounce Zaza's name, it's not that hard. :D
Misha Gelenava thats how you "correctly" say it
I'm from Georgia man, I know how to pronounce his name
He's absolutely right about KD! We can't overlook that he joined already one of the best teams in history.
glad to see you back Stephen A
The Grim Peeper why'd he leave?
Christian Valentine his mom died
His mom died
Christian Valentine His mom passed away last week
@Myles Poun & Elijah Contreras: Stephen A's mother didn't die...I guarantee you that kD's mom didn't want to be on the same set as Stephen A. He was on vacation!!!!!!
Mann I missed Steven A this guy is too much the show isn't the same without him
Alex Covington Not trying to be dick but it's StePHen.
The Moving Pick Allows Curry To Brick lmao
Hahaha your nickname tho 😂😂😂👍
Alex Covington Word
O
glad to see Stephen back , Molly and Max were holding it down but you notice they had so many different people replacing Stephen a for the week cause Stephen a is just that damn good
LeBron: left a weak Cavs team to join two super stars in Miami, none of whom had played together on an NBA team. They lost their first year together. He didn't join the Celtics who continually beat him, he created his own experimental team.
Durant: Joined the team that had won the title 2 years prior and just lost in a game 7. He joined the team that just beat the Bulls regular season record. He joined the very team he lost to in the WCF. He joined an already fully loaded team that would've made the finals regardless.
John Baker BANDWAGON GSW fans (& others) refuse to acknowledge how weak Durant's move was...
John Baker So if they would've made the Finals regardless, he would accept the fact he would lose
Bron left a #1 seed to go form a super team.
John Baker true. But KD's decision is only slightly weaker than LeBron in 2010. Both weak ass competitors
David Hernandez slightly weaker? you just spoke about competition. there's nothing less competitive than joining the team that beat you after you were up 3-1. lebron didnt go jump on the celtics bandwagon in 2010
At the end of the day, SAS is absolutely right. It is the weakest move in NBA history.
"I am taking my talents to South Beach"
At the end of the day, Durant is not the only one who did it. Lebron did it, Ray Allen did it, Garnett did it, Malone did it, Peyton did it, Vince Carter did it, Tmac did it, Shaq did it, and many more before them did it. So stop it! And I don't care for that stupid ass weak reply "but he lost to them" because it's a petty ass retort to change the fact that Durant is trying to win and the Warriors and OKC were not a rivalry and that OKC was a playoff contender, not a championship contender, just like all the other teams. Y'all would still be bitching had Durant went to join the Spurs or the Cavaliers, fucking hypocrites.
LilPrince Killa LeBron left Cleveland for Miami, he didn't leave Cleveland for Celtics.
LilPrince Killa those players didn't join the the that beat them... those teams also didn't win 73 game s
mymentor YUP! Weak ring-chasing Durant, running to a team that DIDN'T need him!!
I missed stephen A.
"Weakest move by a superstar" #Facts
Haward Gomes bron fan? 😂😂😂
He did what Lebron did got a super team
Take That Society Spurs fan🙌🏾
his voice sounds different like he been crying all week.... it hurts to hear him sound like this.
Cashes3 you can see he's still dealing with the freshness of it
True
He was. He amped up towards the end of the show
his mom died
Lil K2
We all now Sherlock
Nice respectful response, im praying for you and your family after the loss of your mom, Welcome back Stephen A. You have been missed
the brother speaks the Truth!
Francis Tuazon nah.... sometimes
Francis Tuazon yeah when he wants too
ESPN NEVER BEAT ME! LMAOO
DG Productions : In Ratings
DG Productions This comment section is the majority of espn's views. They are entertaining on sports, or at least first take is, but insisting on pushing left wing politics is destroying them and they totally deserve it.
Welcome back Stephen A. Smith!
Kevin Durant The GOAT W
Kevin Durant. The GOAT at joining teams he couldnt beat.
Logan Harter looks like someone salty their team isnt in the Finals 😂
Kevin Durant The GOAT Lol. You name is Kevin Durant the goat. Just shows your basketball knowledge.
Logan Harter nigga, its a TH-cam name chill tf out
Stephen A. Smith
Is M.V.P.
WITHOUT SMITH THIS SHOW LACKS THAT GRIT...
Kevin Durants mom gave Stephen A Smith facts he can't refute so he is taking in circles trying to make his point. She was right Stephen A made the best decision for his future. Kevin Durant did the same. We all would do the same thing
Dj Lee Russ didn't. Duncan didn't. Dirk didn't. AD didn't. And even if any of those guys did, what they would have done would not have been half has bad as what KD did. He's a coward and a snake.
Dj Lee All would have done the same thing? BUILD a superteam, not JOIN
Stop thinking about it in terms of us just playing basketball. Think of it in terms of choosing the best choice for your career. With a few exceptions the vast majority of us would go and work in a place we felt that was better for our careers and our quality of life. That's all that Durant did. Basketball is Durants job/career not just a hobby he has on the weekend.
What? I see plenty of all stars who haven't joined teams like the Warriors...
Jay Walker St did you read my latest reply?
Hey that's me
Lavar Ball get yo yellow teeth face outta here
Lavar Ball yo weeb of a son will be a bust. I will dunk on him.
Lavar Ball www.opencourt-basketball.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/lavar-ball-chino.jpg
Lavar Ball look at that teeth
lavar ball buck tooth biscuits eaten ass remember me. i got my on that shiny bald head better watch it
i didnt know who stephen A was before he joined ESPN TBH....
THE REVERSE FLASH cause u not a real sports fan
200 likes and no dislikes? That's the shit I like to see. Respect to SAS for coming back.
Brandon Brown those 200 people are Cleveland fans
WHAT? CHECK AGAIN
My nigga Stephen A back ‼️‼️‼️‼️🗣
Weak move by an even weaker individual because he couldn't win on his own team so he had to join someone else's smh
1wayq so lebron?😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂
1wayq
You talking about Lebron or kd LOL
1wayq Lebron?
so your going act like caves dont have just as many all stars
caves built a all star team too j r smith ervn lebron love slum and the list goes on...
Not having Stephen A. has been BLASPHEMOUS, Welcome back and R.I.P
Why am I smiling that SAS is back? Pause no homo lol proves you always need to appreciate niggas when they are around.
Bravo Anane 😅
Good to see Stephen A back!
Joe Murray I love Max. But, Skip is the face of First Take.
Yeah Max has really grown on me :) I like him but Skip and Stephen A had such a good connection bouncing debates and true friendship
qupidmox Skip is the face of "BLASMESSY"
SAS fired back at full throttle and won that argument. Lebron's move to Miami was different. They weren't a winning team and they were getting killed in the first round. Mama Durant need to do some research better.
It is the weakest move in NBA history
Ivana Humpalot what about lebron to the heat
Not even close..
Lebron Left a team that wouldnt get to the finals.
Lebron and bosh joined a LOSING record team that wasnt good until they were there.
KD goes up 3-1 in the conference playoffs agaisnt the BEST team in regualr season history.
Then he made the weakest move in NBA history...
He joins one of the greatest teams of all time.
He broke the NBA, he ruined the NBA.
Not even close to what lebron did.
CHeck out the power rankings of ALL TIME nba championship teams.
Lebrons teams are near the bottom.
someone had to do the same thing back to lebron or he wouldve kept winning rings
and KD did and the 2017 Finals was Hella close score wise except games 1 and 4 and it came down to who was better- KD or lebron. the finals network (aka lebron network) didnt advertise it At All but if u look at fox and cbs sports’ websites u can see proof, in that series, THATS WHEN LEBRON STILL HAD KYRIE, lebron averaged 4 points in the 4th quarter of games 2 and 3 (he didnt play game 1’s cuz it was a blowout). FOUR points.. remember? when the cavs had the chance to tie up the series.. and lebron was choking again? then kd hit the series dagger 3 on him and they went up 3-0 and thats what happened to lebron. the best player DOES NOT average 4 points in the 4th quarter of the NBA finals.. go check the stats, KD averaged 11, Kyrie averaged 6, Steph Curry averaged 5, and lebron averaged FOUR POINTS. KD outscored lebron by a combined FOURTEEN points in the 4th quarters of games 2 and 3!!
remember if lebron didnt go back to cleveland literally right after they drafted FOUR lottery picks in a row then KD wouldve never had the leeway to join golden state! gets SMASHED by san antonio in the biggest finals blowouts in history and then leaves to go to a better team, again! THAT’s the weakest move in bball history! and if lebron didnt choke in the 4th quarters of the 2017 finals then then maybe the cavs would still be the ones in tact instead! stop hating just cuz lebron wasnt good enough!
Brady Cheats weak like your bank account
Molly so god damn fine man😭😭😭
VKH 100 someone aint getting enough attention in real life.
710Heady Dabs Joy from undisputed is badder
710Heady Dabs yea she is 😂
Paul George
YES LORD!!!!
+Paul George FACTS
3:06 He said that shit so smooth .😂✌
Lmao remember when lebron left "fuck you lebron" when lebron came back "welcome home king"
Jason rodriguez
So true, hopefully for OKCs sake KD rtns hm (well OKC not Maryland but back to OKC where he kicked off his career) that would be so good for every okc fan and yeap fans would welcome him bk wit arms wide open 🤔and that's a fact if he goes bk to okc well that's a mystery
my point was Cavs fans have no right to talk about loyalty and bandwagon
Glad to have you back. Was quite boring without you!
My man Stephen A is back now I can start watching first take again, that thing was as dry as the Sahara desert without him for crying out loud
We live in a time where player's mom's have to be involved aka Javale McGee type of nonsense "stop picking on my baby." Can we get back to basketball 😧
Vince Warren because today's NBA Stars are Baby back Bitches. No Real competitiveness, just this garbage ass Buddy buddy shit
BigGLO Marc 96' bulls ova GS DUB the rules are why
BigGLO Marc bruh you hiding behind a screen while those men are getting millions of dollars and fans. Your just triggered because nobody will remember you expect for your family, but people will remember those basketball stars.
Josh Miles What does that have to do with anything i said? "Nobody will remember you expect" its Except dumbass
BigGLO Marc nah I said it right your just to stupid to realize it. And you know nobody will remember you and nobody will care about you and your jealous of the NBA players so you say there soft.
Can't beat them join them
Tina Judkins That is how you would a dinasty.
where's the nba fathers association?
😂 LMFAO!
BingBoy17 You mean Big Baller brand?
BingBoy17 In jail?
So happy to see you back bro
Thank god Stephen A is back First Take isn't First Take without him welcome back my man I missed ya!
ESPN Never Beat Me!
Wanda has better grammar than KD lol
JustLouIt and she combs her hair
My condolences, Stephen A. Smith, after losing your biggest inspiration, but you need to let this go already. Kevin Durant has stepped it up and taken his game to another level regardless of all the criticism he's endured. His team is looking to pass him the ball; he is not coasting whatsoever. He's earned his right to stay on the Golden State Warriors.
Not really. KD is playing the same as he always has, he's just on a better team, with better shooters that moves the ball better and doesn't allow him to be double-teamed.
Sebastian There's no debate that KD has stepped it up. But he could've done the same thing in OKC. Part of what's so annoying about his move is knowing how great Durant is, seeing how well he's played in the Finals, wondering why he didn't give that same effort in OKC. Westbrook, alone, was not the reason.
Sebastian Facts💯
Sebastian kd still a bitch
KD isn't necessarily stepping his game up. There's just less load he's got to carry both offense and defense, thus making him more efficient when he does have the ball because he's conserved his energy while Lebron's gotta play all 48 mins avg a triple double only to lose cuz he's run out of gas the last 5 mins
SAS is ESPN First Take. Welcome back, brother!
I just wanted to give my condolences to Stephen A. Smith and his entire family for your loss. I too just lost my mother too 3mths ago.✊💪 We as men have to stay strong in these tough times. There isn't enough words that can cure u thru these times of losing our Mother's....🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹
Stephen A my my nigga.
That hairline tho?
KD joining the Warriors is not the same as Lebron joining the Heat. Ray Allen was 35 years old when he went to the heat and the Celtics were already talking about trading him because of his decline. Chris Bosh was nowhere near as good as Klay Thompson, or Steph Curry, or Kevin Durant. Defensively Draymond is way better than Bosh. And D Wade was already starting to show his decline by the time Lebron got there. Kevin Durant joined not only a 73 win team that beat him, but he also joined a team of young players at their core with no decline. To top that off, the Warriors have the best coach in the league, if not 2nd best to Popovich. Eric Spolestra is not even close to Steve Kerr's coaching level.
Midnight Run Chris bosh when he went to Miami was a top 10 player stop
Midnight Run You smoking califlower if you think Steve Kerr is the second best coach in the NBA
I have been waiting for this.
Welcome back Stephan A.
You can tell he been through it.
He looking slim too. Damn my condolences brother!
this fool waited til he was in cleveland to reply lmao.
Ronald Dang He was not in Oakland because his mother died from cancer. This broadcast in Cleveland was his first day back.
Ronald Dang you are a fukin idiot!! seriously if u dont know shit! dont comment. this is his first game back from being away due to his.moms death!!
Don't try to sugar coat it SAS..
You said what you said and got called out... Cookie cutting your reasoning to fit the narrative doesn't erased all the similarities between your gripes...
LeBron built a super team while KD joined one.
You want honey or sugar in your tea... End result - sweet tea..
Ain't nobody momma called this fool to say you're too nice to my son...
Building a super team and not knowing how it will play out is completely different from joining one. Last years warriors were already proven. They broke the record for most wins in a regular season and took the cavs to 7 games in the finals and won a championship a year prior. That Heat team lost to the Mavs their first year together. Btw, I am not a Lebron fan but that move by Durant was still weak.
Rock Solid no matter what, Durant is weak af for going to a stacked team like that period.
James From all the bitching and complaining about KD, the fans are weak as Fuck.
If you are an OKC fan you get a pass.
LeBron fans have zero credibility in this argument. Everyone else, you didn't have a chance anyway so just sit back and watch from afar like us Warrior fans had to endure for 20 years.
We've been on a 3 year run and all the schoolgirls act like we're keeping the cookies forever....
In my Conald Dumpt voice...."SAD"
Swisha Give me the people you pick over D.Wade and Bosh from the East... Ray Allen was 3 king as well... Bosh numbers went down but he was a proven stud. D.Wade easily ranks top 5 for position in this era.
Don't give me that BS when we used draft picks and a free agent signing.
Ok, but why does it have to be only in the East? He could have went anywhere. He wasn't restricted to stay in the East but I would have picked D-Rose ( this is before his injury) and Melo over Wade or Bosh. I'm also pretty sure the Heat was a mediocre team before Lebron got there. Lets not pretend they were on the same level as last years Warriors.
WOW, KD's momma got it right!
Welcome back big hommie.. First take was off a minute. Bring the heat back hommie
I don't know about other people but when Stephen A isn't on first take I don't watch it. Good to have you back may your mom Rest In Peace
Only thing that matters is Cleveland is about to loose.
10thplague Entertainment *lose
4:46 example of bandwagon lol
Chuck Simm 😂😂😂
Lol lol
Preach stephen a.
I LITERALLY did not click on one ESPN first take video while SAS was gone 🐐🐐🐐🐐🐐
Welcome back Stephen A! Hold your head king! Ur a true warrior furreal 💪🏽💪🏽💪🏽
SAS GOT RECEIPTS 😂😂😂😂
Stephen A. is right; it was a weak move and we can see the results. An uninteresting league because when you add a superstar of his caliber to a 73 win team you get no competition. You get a sweep through the western conference and probably a five game Finals. He took all the air out of the league with his selfish move.
KD's not only made the NBA less competitive, but it also made it less interesting to watch from a fan perspective, so I agree with you completely. No question KD is super talented, but I also see him as a pussy for not sticking around in OKC to eventually beat the team that beat him in the WCF .. I don't understand his mentality.
The true future best should want to beat the current best, no join their team for the sake of getting an easy ring.
Wow! Sounds like a loser to me... Even Lebron himself compared his move to the heat as Durant's to the warriors.
Wilt Chamberlain led the NBA in assists and rebounds in 1968, earning an MVP, but was completely fed up with 76ers management. He demanded a trade to a Lakers team with Jerry West and Elgin Baylor that had made the Finals in five of seven seasons and ended up taking them to five more Finals in six seasons. The trade helped set up some of the most legendary Finals in NBA history.
Earl Monroe couldn't win it all with the Bullets, so he demanded a deal and refused to play, ending up on a Knicks team that had won the championship a year earlier. Teamed up with Clyde Frazier, Willis Reed and four other Hall of Famers, they won another title in 1973. The trade changed Monroe's legacy to that a player whose career is remembered as having plenty of substance, not just flash.
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar eventually got tired of living in Milwaukee, so he demanded a trade to either New York or Los Angeles. With the Lakers, he eventually was joined by Magic Johnson and James Worthy and won five championships. We remember Abdul-Jabbar as a member of that Lakers dynasty, not so much as the young Buck who played next to Oscar Robertson under the name Lew Alcindor.
Bill Walton fought the Trail Blazers, demanding a trade and sitting out an entire season when they refused to honor it. When his contract with the Clippers was up, he limited his choices to the dominant Lakers and the dominant Celtics, eventually having a late-career resurgence with the Celtics. We think of his contributions to those Celtics as a symbol of his perseverance, not a sign of his weakness for refusing to stick it out in Portland or San Diego.
Moses Malone won the MVP with the Rockets in 1982, then signed with a 76ers team that had made the NBA Finals the year before. The Rockets had the right to match the offer and did, but eventually traded Malone to the Sixers, where he would win the MVP and the NBA championship in 1983. We remember Malone not for pushing his way out of Houston, but for the utter dominance he displayed with both teams.
And after free agency happened, NBA greats continued to ask for trades or sign to improve their situation.
Shaquille O'Neal left Orlando as a free agent for the Lakers, where he played with Kobe Bryant and won three rings, and then demanded a trade to Miami, where he also won a ring. We don't fault Shaq now for his team switching. We view him as an all-time great capable of shaping the NBA to his desires.
Clyde Drexler lost twice in the NBA Finals with the Blazers, but eventually requested a trade to a team where he might win a title. He ended up in his hometown of Houston with Hakeem Olajuwon, where they won in 1995. We don't fault him for failing to make it over the hump in Portland. We celebrate his eventual success in Houston.
Kevin Garnett suffered many years in Minnesota, but eventually got traded to Boston to play with Paul Pierce and Ray Allen. We wouldn't view Garnett as the wise old man of the NBA if he hadn't won a ring, and he never would've won a ring if he kept fighting on hopelessly in Minnesota.
And then there's LeBron James. James has now twice made a basketball decision to leave a team. He realized the Cavaliers teams of the late 2000s had reached their ultimate potential and moved to join Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh in Miami. Two championships later, he realized Wade and Bosh were declining, and moved to join Kyrie Irving in Cleveland. Both of James' moves have been successes. We view them differently, because one saw James ditch his long-suffering hometown and the other saw him become Cleveland's savior, but from a basketball perspective, they had similar motives. And both resulted in championships.
Do Not Forget one fact no one talks about: Warriors is holding the best NBA drafts currently, maybe they're just too smart of an organization than most of the other teams. 3 out 5 starters were actually drafted by the warriors:
Draft Year: 2009 Round 1 Pick 7 Player: Mr. Stephen Curry
Draft Year: 2010 Round 1 Pick 11 Player: Mr. Klay Thompson
Draft Year: 2012 Round 2 Pick 35 Player: Mr. Draymon Green
Haters gonna hate | Losers gonna sound like Stephen A. Smith
Brahim Yousfi who read that?
danm fucking straight man 💯 we bleed that gold blood. I like Stephen a Smith but he doesn't know what he's talking about
LeBron BUILT a superstar, he joined a trash team that only had DWade
Fūñėråł øf Ŵīfì the fuck are you talking about. Bosh? Ray Allen? they had more then dwade
You fail to realize that out of all the examples you gave, there was never a time where those teams were expected to go to and win the NBA finals over a 5 year span. There was always other competition in the mix so that even if the team was stacked and expected to win, shit happened and other teams were able to take them down. The warriors have been to 2 finals without KD and should have won both of them and now they have KD. The cavs are the only team that has a chance against them and they're about to get swept. There is no team in sight that can take the warriors down within the next 2-3 years. It's gonna be at least 5 straight years of seeing the same 2 teams in the finals and that's whack. All the teams you mentioned never went to 5 straight finals against another team you know why? Because THERE WAS COMPETITION/SUSPENSE. Even if the team was expected to win it was never guaranteed. The most powerful weapon in the league (and it's not even close) to try and take down the warriors is about to get swept. Are you kidding me? What don't you understand?
Stephen A came back speaking facts!!! Talk about coming out strong!👏🏽👏🏽🙌🏽
Good to see Steven A back. Prayers to your family.
He's back!!!!
I'm with Stephen A Smith on this one
hes back !!!! may his mom R.I.P tho
Espn lucky to have Stephen A Smith. Welcome back.
So happy this mans back
Having said that! Dam Steven Smith you a savage !
lol
Mama has a great point!
Durant been a punk forever . he use to run out of DC to hang in Northern VA.
Antonio G Faceless dude we don't believe you
Great to have you back Stephen A !!!
Glad to see you back, Stephen A.
Stop saying all this bs, he knows she's right, it's just he argues for his job, but sometimes you have to know when you're wrong.
😂😂😂😂You can tell who's a Cavaliers fan in the the comments. They the ones who agreeing with Stephen A.
youngl1on just look for the salt and you found a Cleveland fan😂😂😂
youngl1on aAaQQ
u can tell who the pussies are too lmaooo
Shon Hunt yeah, they're also the ones agreeing with Stephen A. Smith
youngl1on Not a Cavs fan, just live in reality!
Durant ruined the NBA end of story
Benzima Faried Exactly, this years playoffs were boring
Benzima Faried Ruined is a bit of a stretch
im glad he did kevin durant just proved everybody wrong about lebron james
Last year we had good games like GSW vs OKC. This year, which game had any competition? None. From both sides. It's not worth to wait 1 year to watch 4 to 7 games.
Blaiyan so I've been watch NBA for the past 17 years of my life. This is the least amount of regular and post season games I've seen in a long time. I'm not really a Cavs or Warriors fan, but I love watching intense basketball. This is a pure one sided beating.
Love to see Stephen A. Is back!!!!
great to see him back. spoke the truth as always
kd mama look like she make some bomb ass chiken and waffles
Alexis Dieguez u Racist Asf
kd will never be a champion in my eyes.....he cheated his way there so it dont count
i don't know why Stephen A always goes off Kevin Durant
this guy make me sick ,
Joshua R maybe, but also a smart business move. Didn't LeBron leave Cleveland yo join a super team with hella former all stars to better his career and then return once Kyrie was balling and they could get Love?
Aguero Bol how did he go off on him? For telling the truth?
Joshua R because it's his job...
S Short Dwayne wade was out of his prime and bosh was a role player in Miami. If lebron joined the Celtics then you could compare the the two moves
Bosh and D-Wade were both still great. Take Bosh or Wade off that team then they don't win a ring, HOWEVER, take LBJ off that team and they don't make it past the ecf. KD joined a team with already established superstars/all-stars in their primes, now, this GSW team would have inevitably made the finals, would have won at least 3 games anyway. KD had good stats but understand that the three of Klay, Curry and Dray would have done it without him, maybe lost game 3 and 4 but would have won game 5. I still think Cavs are gonna win the series, not much enthusiasm for some others, GSW fans are smug cunts as always, but I feel like Cavs would still win this series.
man its good to see Stephen A again
Stephen A. a legend for this.
Not a weak move if he fits perfectly in that offense and makes him a better player in both sides of the ball. You just hate all you want while KD makes Lebron sorry, tired, and old. I am not a Lebron hater by the way, I just speak the truth
Band. Wagon.
Noel Gantepalli Childish. Hater
Joshua R and yet KD makes him tired to a point that he can't guard him in the later quarters
Joshua R Then that means Lebron has not been dominating KD. If he has, Lebron should be locking him down and preventing his cold blooded shooting
Wrong. Weak as hell. It's like playing pickup basketball and stacking your team with the best players on the court. Yes you win, but the narrative changes because it was a weak ass move. That's why underdogs are always valued higher.
Stephen a that shit didn't even make sense
Marcus Anderson Marcus it does
Yeah it does... he's saying he's attacking this one action. Not his fundamental character
Condolences to Stephen A. Smith and family
While you can't deny the talent of former MVP Wanda Durant, Stephen A. Smith is completely right.
I was critical of the move myself at first (been a KD fan since Montrose Christian days).. but basically, it was the best move for him and his career. While also being an indictment against Russell Westbrook, by KD basically saying that he couldn't win with him.. or, he just got tired of playing with him. And wanted to play for a team that had the most unselfish collection of superstars. Plus he's shown that he's still *The Man* as well.
You already know he about to go in on somebody when he starts givin em mad props
Good to see him back. RIP to his Mother.
The King has returned!
SAS MAY GOD BLESS YOUR MOTHERS SOUL MY BROTHER
R.I.P
Glad he ain't my dad. One fuck up and you'll NEVER hear the end of it lmao
Stephen A Smith, rather he's right or wrong is the VOICE of NBA Basketball.
You can tell he was cooking up those points for a while
I miss you Stephen a smith you are the goat
Glad to see him back!!!!!!!!!!!!
His mom raised his to be a good man with a good heart first and foremost
His mom gave his the strength to make it to the NBA which he worked hard for all his life.
SAS has no business saying KD ruined what she raised him to be