first take

Stephen A. Smith Is Ready To “Act Bad” In Miami

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Stephen A. Smith is easily the most famous man on sports television at this point. Overall, he is always being shown on TV, particularly on ESPN. In the eyes of many, he is the sole entity that is keeping the lights on over there. He has been a key figure in their sports coverage over the years, and he effectively runs First Take. Although not everyone likes Smith and his approach to television, he is most definitely a ton of fun to watch on a daily basis. This is especially true now that the NBA Finals are here.

However, Stephen A. isn’t always interested in the Finals. Sure, he knows the Finals make for interesting conversation. Although, he much prefers when the Finals are in a location that he can live lavishly within. For instance, during the Finals between Milwaukee and Phoenix, he seemed to be disappointed. Moreover, he felt the same way in 2019 as the Raptors took on the Warriors. However, now that they are in Miami, he is prepared to live his “Act Bad” fantasy.

Read More: Stephen A. Smith Says He’d Support Shannon Sharpe Joining “First Take”

Stephen A. Smith Is Excited

In the video clip above, you can see just how excited Stephen A. gets about being able to spend the week in Miami. Games 3 and 4 of the NBA Finals will be played this week, with Game 3 going down tomorrow. Their series is tied at one a piece, although that doesn’t seem to matter here. It seems like Stephen A. could hug and kiss every person who works at ESPN for allowing him to cover the great game.

Over these coming days, it will be interesting to see what Stephen A. gets up to. Overall, there is a lot to do in Miami. There are vices around every corner, and he will have to do his best to stay away and focus on the prize. Hopefully, the series goes six games and he is able to go back. For Smith, that is the best case scenario.

Read More: Stephen A. Smith & JJ Redick Roast Kendrick Perkins For Moaning In Their Ears

The post Stephen A. Smith Is Ready To “Act Bad” In Miami appeared first on HotNewHipHop.

Stephen A. Smith & JJ Redick Roast Kendrick Perkins For Moaning In Their Ears

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Stephen A. Smith and JJ Redick have proven to be a fun duo on First Take. Although they do get into their fair share of arguments, the show is at least interesting. Overall, they make for great TV, and Smith has not been challenged like this since Max Kellerman was on the program. Redick brings that firsthand NBA experience to the show, while Smith has his journalist lens. It makes for a solid dynamic that is only backed up by just how compelling the NBA Finals have been.

Additionally, Kendrick Perkins makes the show a lot of fun as well. Perkins is someone who is quick with the hot takes, and he clashes with JJ Redick quite a bit. However, if you watch First Take, you know that Perk is always making noises in the mic. He breathes incredibly loudly, and it can be very distracting. Well, today, Redick and Stephen A. were fed up and made their feelings known. It all hilariously played out in the tweet seen below, courtesy of Clutch Points.

Read More: JJ Redick Predicts Ja Morant Suspension Length

Stephen A. And JJ Redick Have Had Enough

“Perk, is that you moaning in my ear over & over again?” Redick asked with an annoyed tone. Subsequently, Smith followed this up by saying, “Yeah, I know. I was getting ready to ask that. You sound like you got sleep apnea, Perk.” Overall, it was a pretty hilarious moment as Perkins got ganged up. Although, it is clear that he took it all in stride and kept it moving. In the future, however, the First Take crew will need to find a way to mute his mic whenever he isn’t talking. Otherwise, this will continue to be an issue for the foreseeable future.

If this is health-related, we hope Kendrick Perkins can get it sorted out. Aside from that, we’re sure Stephen A., Reddick, and Perkins will continue to shine throughout these playoffs. They have been great, and we can’t wait to see more. Let us know what you think of ESPN’s Finals coverage, in the comments section down below. Additionally, stay tuned to HNHH for all of the latest news and updates from around the sports world.

Read More: JJ Redick Praises The Heat And Offers Nuggets Hot Take

The post Stephen A. Smith & JJ Redick Roast Kendrick Perkins For Moaning In Their Ears appeared first on HotNewHipHop.

JJ Redick Praises The Heat And Offers Nuggets Hot Take

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JJ Redick has been one of the most beloved analysts on TV as of late. Overall, the former NBA star has proven to be someone who can sift through all of the BS that tends to populate shows like First Take. Most of the time, he is spot-on with his takes. Although he wasn’t a superstar in the league, he still has a great eye for the game. So much so that some believe he needs to become a head coach. That said, the NBA Finals are on right now, and you can be sure that Redick is part of the coverage.

Last night, the Miami Heat were able to steal a game against the Denver Nuggets. This came as quite a bit of a surprise. Despite being up by as much as 15 points in the second quarter, the Heat were able to crawl back. They were great to start the third and fourth quarters, and it helped propel them to a win. Now, the Heat have the home-court advantage, and it will be interesting to see how it all plays out. While on First Take this morning, Redick explained how the Heat were able to win.

Read More: JJ Redick Predicts Ja Morant Suspension Length

JJ Redick Loves The Heat

“The word that comes to mind for me is resiliency [for the Miami Heat],” Redick explained. “Heat culture, it is a very real thing. There is a mental toughness and a mental fortitude with this team.” He also went on to note that the Denver Nuggets should still win it all. Moreover, he went on to note that the Nuggets will be good in the west for years to come.

Redick Talks Denver

“Regardless of what happens in this series, we are entering a phase where the Denver Nuggets will be the favorites in the Western Conference going forward for the foreseeable future,” Redick said. “There’s a long runway in Denver for this team to contend for titles.” Overall, Redick certainly has a point. The Nuggets look amazing, and we cannot wait to see them play for years to come. That said, let us know who you think will win the NBA Finals, in the comments section below.

Read More: JJ Redick Apologizes To Stephen A. Smith

The post JJ Redick Praises The Heat And Offers Nuggets Hot Take appeared first on HotNewHipHop.

JJ Redick Apologizes To Stephen A. Smith

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JJ Redick has quickly become a rising star over at ESPN. Overall, people love him for the analysis that he has brought to First Take. Although Stephen A. Smith can be a lot to deal with, he has managed to navigate that relationship quite well. Sure, these two are constantly arguing with one another, however, it makes for great TV. The fans know that Redick played the game at the highest level, while Smith is simply a reporter. That said, most fans tend to side with Redick whenever there is a disagreement.

However, there are times when JJ Redick goes a bit too far and has NBA fans calling him a bit of an elitist. We saw that exact phenomenon happen this morning as Redick was talking to Stephen A. Smith about LeBron’s potential retirement. During the segment, Redick wasn’t fond of how Smith was talking about LeBron’s aging. This led to Redick saying, “You didn’t play Stephen A. You don’t understand our athletic mortality. 3 games at, wherever, South Dakota, Winston-Salem State doesn’t count.” For many, this was a cheap shot.

Read More: JJ Redick Delivers Harsh Response To Stephen A. Smith

JJ Redick Retracts His Statement

Immediately after these comments, JJ Redick ended up offering an apology. Although Stephen A. Smith ended up playing it cool, many felt like he demanded an apology. After all, Smith pulls the strings over at ESPN and First Take in particular. He can end Redick’s career at ESPN in an instant and ultimately chose not to. Regardless, it made for some good TV that fans most certainly appreciated. Now, however, the discourse has shifted over to whether or not Redick is too much of an elitist. Ultimately, that Duke reputation is not boding well for him.

At this point, JJ Redick will have to be careful with how he moves on the show, moving forward. Otherwise, he could be taken off very soon. Regardless, he has his own platform, so he can make it without ESPN hovering over him like it’s 1984. Let us know what you thought of all of this, in the comment section below. Additionally, stay tuned to HNHH for more news from around the sports world.

Read More: Kendrick Perkins Calls BS On JJ Redick’s Officiating Claim

Stephen A. Smith Trashes Ben Simmons For Sixers Diss

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Stephen A. Smith is a person who shows absolutely no mercy when he talks about certain athletes. In fact, his new podcast is quite literally called Know Mercy. Overall, Smith can be offensive with his commentary because he is so blunt. Although some athletes do take offense, he does not care. He gets paid to “tell the truth,” and he will continue to do so. His way of doing things has ultimately made him the success he is today. Additionally, without him, ESPN would be in a very bad place.

Over the weekend, Stephen A. found himself watching the NBA Playoffs. Of course, on Sunday, the Boston Celtics played the Philadelphia 76ers in a Game 7. Ultimately, the Sixers were pitiful and consequently, the Celtics won in a blowout. Former Sixers star and current no-show Ben Simmons had fun with this and made fun of them on his Instagram story. Well, Stephen A. did not like this one bit, and on his show today, he absolutely roasted the Nets player. Below, you can see just how scathing this rant was.

Read More: Lil Dicky Pitches Stephen A. Smith Cameo On “Dave”

Stephen A. Goes In

“The only thing worse than James Harden was that sorry trifling a– Ben Simmons,” Stephen A. began. “How the hell are you talking about a basketball player when you treat putting on a basketball uniform and dribbling, when you treat that as if somebody asked you to get on the front lines in Ukraine to fight Russia? That’s how scared he is to play basketball.” Smith’s comparison in which he claims Simmons treats playing basketball like going to war, is hilariously brutal. However, that really is how it feels sometimes. Ultimately, it is not a great look for Ben.

Moving forward, no one even knows what is going to happen to Ben Simmons. He is not a very good basketball player right now. Moreover, he won’t even play any games. Needless to say, he is not particularly useful, and that could mean a trade is on the horizon. That said, let us know what you think of Smith’s comments, down below. Additionally, stay tuned to HNHH for the latest news from around the sports world.

Read More: Stephen A. Smith Offers Shocking LeBron-MJ Hot Take

Stephen A. Smith Gets Brutally Honest With Ja Morant

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Stephen A. Smith has never minced words in his entire life. Overall, he has no issues with letting a player know when they have messed up. Moreover, he will do it in a way that isn’t exactly kind or comforting. Simply put, Smith goes for the most entertaining option, without hesitation. Although some do not like this style, others absolutely love it. After all, Smith is the biggest personality at ESPN. He is keeping the lights on over there, and the network is appreciative of that. No matter what, he will always get ratings.

Of course, today was a big day for First Take and Stephen A. Overall, it was the first show back since Ja Morant got caught with a gun again on Instagram live. Subsequently, Morant has been indefinitely suspended from the team. Moreover, it remains to be seen how long this suspension will last. It could end up just being a few games, or it could be for almost half of a season. Regardless, this is a terrible look for Morant, who has already had these kinds of issues in the past.

Read More: Lil Dicky Pitches Stephen A. Smith Cameo On “Dave”

Stephen A. Reacts

On today’s episode of First Take, Smith was very adamant about Morant and his behavior. Ultimately, he finds it extremely shortsighted that Ja keeps doing this. Furthermore, he thinks that the Grizzlies star has completely tainted his reputation with these kinds of antics. “Ja Morant has been associated with guns more than he’s been associated with winning,” Stephen A. said bluntly. While this might be a brutally honest assessment, it is one that some believe Ja needs to hear. At the end of the day, if he keeps this stuff up, he could lose his career in the NBA.

No one knows what is going to happen next, however, whatever it is won’t be very good for Ja. He has gotten a second chance, and it has already been squandered. The Grizzlies and Adam Silver will not take that very lightly. Let us know what you think of all this, in the comments section below. Additionally, stay tuned to HNHH for more news and updates from around the sports world.

Read More: Shannon Sharpe Rips Ja Morant For Gun Video: Watch

Stephen A. Believes Warriors Will Force A Game 7

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The Golden State Warriors currently trail the Lakers 3-2 in their Western Conference Semifinal matchup. However, the Warriors kept themselves alive with a dominant performance in Game 5. The teams meet for a pivotal Game 6 in Los Angeles on Friday night. Either the Warriors will force the series back to the Chase Center or the Lakers will move on to face the Nuggets.

Now Stephen A. Smith may be a New York fan, but he has a soft spot for the Warriors. Furthermore, he believes that the Warriors have got what it takes to force the Lakers into a Game 7. And it all comes down to a very simple belief about how the Warriors have been playing.

Smith Believes The Warriors Haven’t Hit Their Full Potential Yet

Speaking on First Take, Smith laid out his case for a Warriors win in Game 6. “I think Steph Curry hasn’t been sensational. He’s struggled a little bit but is balling out. Klay Thompson came alive a little bit last night. Jordan Poole didn’t stink up the joint. It’s really really nice seeing him remember he wears a uniform and gets a paycheck. But Draymond Green, let me tell you all. When you watch him, when you watch his energy…the dude is made for these moments.” In short, Smith believes that the Warriors haven’t played their best yet. If they do that, and will be forced to do so in this all-or-nothing Game 6, the series will go to seven games.

However, if you’re not convinced by Smith. How about a psychic corgi? The TikTok account @aircorg has gone viral during the Lakers-Warriors series for a video in which Steph Furry the Corgi perfectly predicts the outcome of the series through the first five games. The video has been the bane of Lakers fans, who have watched their team slowly squander a 3-1 lead. But regardless of whether you beleive the ESPN veteran or future-predicting dog, the Lakers and Warriors face off later today. Do you agree with Stephen A. Smiith? Or are the Lakers going to win in six? Let us know in the comments.

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Lil Dicky Came Up With A Fantastic Idea For A Stephen A. Smith ‘Dave’ Episode Off The Top Of His Head On ‘First Take’

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The Boston Celtics and the Philadelphia 76ers are nearing the end of their NBA Playoffs battle at the moment, with Game 6 of the series coming up tonight (May 11). Before that, though, Pennsylvania native Lil Dicky (aka Dave Burd) hopped on ESPN’s First Take today and showed just how quickly his brain can work.

During the chat, Molly Qerim asked Dicky what a Dave scene involving co-host Stephen A. Smith might look like. The rapper/actor didn’t need much time to think about it before replying:

“Off the top of my head, I don’t know… I’m thinking about the Sixers and the Celtics, I’m just imagining: What if I got into a little bit of a gambling situation with the wrong bookie, and I need the Sixers to win or my life could end? And I find myself knocking on Stephen A.’s door at like 3 a.m. and telling him that tomorrow on First Take, he’s gotta do something that really eviscerates Jayson Tatum, to the point where it’s a distraction for the team. Something like… kind of a modern day Celtic Pride.”

Smith then came up with his own idea involving Dicky kidnapping a red-hot Tatum before Smith comes to the rescue.

Elsewhere, Dicky gave a pep talk to the Sixers ahead of tonight’s game, so check out the segment above.

Stephen A. Smith Responds To Anthony Davis Backlash

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Stephen A. Smith is someone who has certainly angered people with his commentary. Overall, he is paid millions of dollars to be a provocateur of sorts. However, not everyone appreciates when he criticizes a player or clowns them for their performance. Although, there are instances when the fans at home watching have legitimate gripes with what he is saying. Today, we saw that as he took to First Take and began joking with Jay Williams about Anthony Davis’ potential concussion.

For those who don’t know, Davis was elbowed by Kevon Looney. The hit was so hard that Davis left the game. Subsequently, he was taken off in a wheelchair. Overall, it was a scary incident that had many fearing for AD’s health. Although he is likely to play in Game 6, it was still pretty bad. However, many felt that Smith’s commentary was distasteful. There was plenty of backlash online, and now, Smith is responding. Instead of getting defensive, Stephen A. apologized and noted that what he did was wrong.

Read More: Lakers Can’t Close Out Warriors Series

Stephen A. Responds

“Blow back is Blow back. Comes with the territory, peeps,” Stephen A. said. “I was in no way minimizing the seriousness of a concussion. I was questioning whether Anthony Davis really had one, considering the play I saw & other hits I’ve seen him absorb. But, bottom line, it was wrong for me to do. Period! My bad.” Most of the time, the First Take host is completely unapologetic about this stuff. However, this instance seemed to be of a greater magnitude, and he understood that. As for Jay Williams, he has yet to respond to what took place. Whether or not he will remains to be seen.

His Original Comments

As for the whole Lakers Vs. Warriors series, the Lakers currently have a 3-2 lead. However, as the Corgi predicted, this series could very well end up going the distance. The Warriors seem hungry, and the Lakers are going to need to want it if they hope to make the Conference Finals. Having AD will certainly help the Lakers in that effort. Let us know what you thought of the Smith and Williams comments, down below. Additionally, stay tuned to HNHH for more news from the sports world.

Read More: Lakers Announced Championship Ring Policy

Snoop Dogg Picks East Coast Over West Coast For Bigger Impact On Hip Hop

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Snoop Dogg says the East Coast has had a bigger impact on hip-hop than the West Coast. The legendary Long Beach rapper compared the two sides during an appearance on ESPN’s First Take on Tuesday with Stephen A. Smith. He explained that East Coast artists like RUN-D.M.C., LL COOL J, and Grandmaster Flash laid the groundwork for the genre for years to come.

“Definitely East Coast because East Coast started hip-hop,” Snoop explained. “It has the biggest impact where it was born, where it was growth, where it was developed is always gonna be the biggest impact. Because that’s the epicenter, that’s the foundation, that’s where it began. It’s the East Coast.”

Snoop Dogg With 50 Cent

NEW YORK, NEW YORK – AUGUST 20: Snoop Dogg (L) and Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson perform onstage at STARZ Madison Square Garden “Power” Season 6 Red Carpet Premiere, Concert, and Party on August 20, 2019 in New York City. (Photo by Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images for STARZ)

He then described New York rappers as the “foundation.” He continued: “We learned from them, we got our style from them, we got our swag from them, we got our know how to get it together from them, our stage presence — everything from RUN-D.M.C., LL COOL J, Grandmaster Flash, to people who didn’t have no record deals. They set the foundation.”

Snoop also discussed his bid to purchase the NHL’s Ottawa Senators in a group with Hollywood film producer Neko Sparks and others. “This opportunity came for me to be a part of the ownership of the Ottawa Senators so I jumped on it,” he said. “And the plan that we have is to go and build a Snoop Youth Hockey League outside of Canada so kids in urban communities can learn about hockey [and] can play the sport.”

Elsewhere in the interview, the two discussed Snoop’s hometown Los Angeles Lakers preparing to take on the Golden State Warriors in the second round of the NBA playoffs. The Lakers went on to upset the Warriors in Golden State 117-112. Game 2 will tip off at 9:00 PM, ET on Thursday.

Snoop Dogg On East Coast Vs. West Coast

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