STEPHEN A SMITH

Stephen A. Smith Delivers The Ultimate Praise To Damian Lillard

by

Stephen A. Smith was like many others in the NBA world last night. Overall, we were all left mesmerized by the likes of Damian Lillard. The Portland Trail Blazers superstar came out and scored a total of 71 points against the Houston Rockets. Although the Rockets are horrible this year, it was still an impressive performance that was truly hard to believe. Now, Dame is just the eighth player in NBA history to score over 70 points in a game. At this point, one would have to assume that 80 is in range for some of these three-point shooters.

Subsequently, Dame’s greatness is being debated by various pundits right now. After all, he is known for his incredible shooting ability. Moreover, he has had plenty of games where he has gone for an obscene amount of points. His offense has carried the Blazers for years, and they will need him if they ever want to main their success. On First Take this morning, Stephen A. was especially excited about Dame’s performance. In fact, Smith came out and offered some incredible praise to the point guard.

Stephen A. Reacts

As you can see in the video clip above, Smith calls Lillard one of the greats. Additionally, Smith noted that aside from Steph Curry, Lillard truly is the best guard out there. It was some amazing praise from Smith, who has seen a lot of guys come and go throughout the league. “Damian Lillard is one of the greatest guards to have ever played in NBA history,” Smith said. “… In today’s game … tell me one guard you want, other than Steph Curry … more than Damian Lillard? I can’t think of anybody.”

At this point, you cannot understate just how good Lillard is at the game of basketball. Pundits like Stephen A. are well aware of this, and they will continue to give Dame his flowers, moving forward. Hopefully, the Blazers will finally surround Lillard with some premium talent. He is a guy who deserves to win a title, and it would be a shame if he never got it done. For Dame, the grind continues no matter what.

[Via]

Charles Barkley Gets Brutally Honest About Load Management

by

Charles Barkley is easily one of the most opinionated people out there in the basketball world. Overall, he is seen as one of those oldheads who will never respect the young generation. However, is a legend of the game of basketball, which means he has earned the right to have these sorts of opinions. Even if you don’t like him, you kind of have to admit that he is very entertaining. He and Shaq are a riot on TNT and we hope to hear their banter for years to come.

One of the topics that Barkley has been faced with as of late is none other than “Load Management.” Load Management is something that a lot of NBA critics have hated over the years. This is the process in which players take nights off as a way to save themselves for the playoffs. Although it is a fact of life in today’s game, a lot of people despise it. As you can imagine, the older generation is part of that hate train. Ultimately, they just want the players to give it their all for 82 games per season.

Charles Barkley Speaks

Today, Barkley made an appearance on First Take where he got to speak on this issue. This was part of a one-on-one conversation with Stephen A. Smith, and overall, it was quite interesting. Barkley got brutally honest about his thoughts on the matter and did not pull any punches. Overall, Chuck believes it is a matter of respect that players should have for the game and the fans. “You can’t make $30, $40, $50 million and then sit out games,” Barkley said. “I think it’s disrespectful to the game, I think it’s disrespectful to the fans.”

Load Management is one of those things that are absolutely not going to go away. Although commissioner Adam Silver has had to speak on it, we can still expect it to be a thing, moving forward. Whether you like that or not, simply does not matter to the league, its trainers, and its players. Give us your take on all of this, down below. Additionally, stay tuned to HNHH for more news and updates from around the sports world.

[Via]

Stephen A. Smith Goes Scorched Earth On Russell Wilson

by

Stephen A. Smith is notorious for speaking his mind on all things related to the wide world of sports. However, it should be noted that Smith is fair in his assessments. He never goes after people who simply do not deserve it. Overall, he just wants to hold these athletes accountable, which is certainly a noble cause. Although he is mostly a basketball guy, there is no doubt that Smith knows quite a bit about football. Whenever he talks about the sport, he brings that same passion and fire he does to the game of basketball.

Over these last few months, Stephen A. has had to talk a lot about Russell Wilson. Ever since being traded to the Denver Broncos, Wilson has been awful. The team didn’t even come close to the postseason this year, and Wilson was dreadful to watch. Furthermore, his play was so bad that he ended up getting his head coach fired. Now, there are reports that he was trying to get Pete Carroll fired in Seattle. While Wilson denies this, Smith is still taking issue with Russ, who has been a bit of a diva these last couple of years.

Stephen A. Popped Off On “First Take”

In the video clip above from this morning’s First Take, it is clear just how strongly Smith feels about all of this. In fact, one could even Stephen A. as going scorched earth on the quarterback. Overall, his comments were quite piercing, and there is no doubt that many others feel the exact same way about Wilson. “Russell Wilson this past season stunk so much they smelt him from the Mile High City to South Beach to damn L.A. That’s how bad he was,” Smith said. This is a very strongly-worded take, although he’s not wrong. Russ was horrible last year, and he must be better.

For the Broncos, this year will be make-or-break for them in the Russell Wilson era. Sean Payton is coming in as the head coach, and if he has another losing season, it will be an embarrassment. Hopefully, for Broncos fans, the old Russ returns. If he doesn’t, then that fanbase will never forgive the front office for making that trade.

[Via]

Stephen A. Smith Reveals Why He Doesn’t Talk About Bronny James Jr.

by

Stephen A. Smith has covered a ton of amazing athletes throughout the course of his career. Overall, he has seen numerous generations of NBA superstars. One of those superstars is none other than LeBron James. Although Smith has had criticisms of LeBron over the years, there is no doubt that he has also had praise for the man. This is especially true when it comes to what kind of person LeBron has been. Stephen A. cannot say enough good things about LeBron as both a father and a husband.

Speaking of fatherhood, LeBron’s oldest son Bronny is currently set to choose where he will go to school. Moreover, he is already being looked at by NBA teams. Consequently, ESPN recently came through a mock draft in which they tried to predict where James is going to go in the 2024 draft. For now, they have him going 10th overall. This is quite a bit of praise, however, some believe it is premature to say something like this. As for Stephen A., he has always been a bit wary when it comes to talking about LeBron’s child.

Stephen A. Makes A Valiant Point

“I’ve never talked about Bronny James and it’s because of his father,” Stephen A. said. “I think that it is unfair to bring that kind of scrutiny on the kid and I’m very very protective of him in that regard. Obviously, his name is going to continue to elevate in the mind’s eye and I think that LeBron James is the cause of that because he’s made it very very clear that his goal is to stay in the NBA until his son arrives.” Overall, Smith makes a great point about putting too much pressure on a teenager too early. As the son of LeBron, Bronny is already dealing with immense pressure, and he doesn’t need any more.

Moving forward, it will be interesting to see where Bronny decides to go. One would imagine Ohio State would be at the top of his list. Moreover, it seems like USC and Oregon are some compelling options. Either way, Bronny will be fun to watch over the coming years. As for Smith, let us know what you think of his philosophy, in the comments below.

[Via]

Jake Paul Offers Final Prediction For Tommy Fury Fight

by

Jake Paul and Tommy Fury are finally going to fight against one another. The fight is officially set to go down on Sunday, February 26th in Saudi Arabia. Overall, this is going to be Paul’s toughest fight yet. He has yet to fight a real boxer, and now, he is going to do just that. Fury is 8-0 in his professional career, while Jake Paul is a respectable 6-0. This is a make-or-break match for Paul, who will need to win if he actually wants his boxing career to be taken seriously, moving forward.

Today is a huge media day for Paul and Fury as the press conference for the fight was today. Although Fury has largely ducked his commitments, he has finally decided to tag along for the ride. Unfortunately, he was unable to tap into First Take today, where Paul got to speak with Stephen A. Smith. It was here that Paul predicted he would win his fight. However, Paul isn’t just going to settle for a decision. In fact, he believes he can knock out Tommy in four rounds.

Jake Paul Talks The Talk

Just yesterday, Paul was espousing the same kinds of rhetoric in relation to the upcoming fight. For instance, Jake Paul said that Fury was going to be decapitated in this match. He also warned that the Fury family will disown him after this. “Tommy, I hope you’ve enjoyed these last few moments of your career,” Jake said. “This is it, you’re going to be retired from boxing after this. You’re going to be disowned by your family. You’re going to go back to your mother’s maiden name. There’s nothing else that can save you. It’s just me and you — mano a mano.”

Overall, this is going to be a truly riveting match. Even if you hate Paul and everything he stands for, you can’t help but want to watch. He is a compelling figure, and consequently, this has led to a ton of Pay-Per-View sales. Let us know if you think he can win, in the comments below. Additionally, stay tuned to HNHH for more boxing news.

Paul’s Message

[Via]

Stephen A. Smith Reveals Who Faces The Most Pressure To Win An NBA Title This Year

by

Stephen A. Smith is certainly one of the best personalities over at ESPN. In fact, one could make the argument that he is the best personality in all of sports media. Overall, he is known for his work on First Take. However, at this point, he should be credited with keeping ESPN afloat. He is a guest on practically all of their programs, and that will not change for a long time. After all, they are paying the man close to $10 million per year, which is a very large chunk of change.

When it comes to Smith, his expertise is definitely in the world of the NBA. Now that the NFL is done for the season, Smith has more opportunities to talk about basketball. On today’s episode of First Take, that is exactly what he did with JJ Redick and Chris Russo by his side. With All-Star done, the conversation has subsequently shifted to which team is going to win the title. Consequently, this has also led to some discourse about who is facing the most pressure. In order to make it simple, Smith created a list.

Stephen A. Concocts A New List

This top five list was based on who is facing the most pressure to come through and win an NBA title. Number five on the list was Kawhi Leonard, while number four was Nikola Jokic. Additionally, Jayson Tatum was at three, James Harden was at two, and number one was Chris Paul. Redick thought this was the perfect list for numerous reasons. Overall, Paul needs a title for his legacy, as does Harden. Moreover, Jayson Tatum needs to exercise the demons from last season’s NBA Finals. As for Jokic and Kawhi, well, one needs to live up to his MVP self, while the other hasn’t done much in Los Angeles.

Chris “Mad Dog” Russo was not a huge fan of the list, claiming Kevin Durant needed to be at the top. However, as Smith pointed out, Durant has won two Finals MVPs and two rings. With that in mind, there isn’t really much pressure on him at all. Let us know what you think of Smith’s take, in the comments below. Additionally, stay tuned to HNHH for the latest news and updates from around the basketball world.

[Via]

JJ Redick Had Stephen A. Smith Stuttering During LeBron Debate

by

JJ Redick has quickly become one of the best NBA personalities on ESPN. Although he wasn’t a massive superstar, he still has a great eye for the game. Overall, his analysis is typically always spot on, and he has very little patience for bad hot takes. Furthermore, he hates it when previous decades of NBA basketball are elevated over the current era. Redick knows just how hard it is to be effective now, and he makes that clear whenever he speaks. Even if people like Chris “Mad Dog” Russo disagree, you will always see Redick advocating for his position.

The show that Redick truly shines on, however, is none other than First Take. Although this is Stephen A. Smith’s show, there is no doubt that Redick always steals the spotlight. This is because he and Smith engage in some pretty testy debates. The vast majority of the time, Redick comes out on top with empirical evidence. Overall, this leaves Smith dumbfounded as he will just move the goalposts to fit his position. On Tuesday, Redick called him out for doing just that.

JJ Redick Dominates Debate

In the clips above, Smith and Redick were debating about whether or not it is bad for LeBron’s legacy if he misses the playoffs this year. Smith said it would be a hit, while Redick argued it wouldn’t be. That’s when Redick asked if MJ going 37-45 with the Wizards was a blemish on his record. Consequently, Smith didn’t have much to say and immediately began to stutter as he wasn’t sure where to go with it. Subsequently, Redick told Smith that he is constantly moving the goalposts in relation to LeBron. Stephen A. did not take too kindly to this, although he didn’t offer much in terms of a rebuttal.

It was yet another instance of just how amazing Redick is at his job. He knows how to deliver good TV and he is showing no signs of slowing down. In many ways, he is ESPN’s NBA version of Dan Orlovsky. A rising star that people love to watch analyze the game. Let us know what you think of the job Redick has done, in the comments down below.

[Via]

Stephen A. Smith Hits LeBron James With A Ton Of Pressure

by

Stephen A. Smith, just like many other pundits this season, has been forced to talk a lot about the Los Angeles Lakers. Overall, the Lakers have not been a particularly good team. However, they possess the likes of LeBron James, so they are a hot topic of conversation. Moreover, they made some big moves at the trade deadline, and there is an expectation that they will be a lot better toward the playoffs. That said, if the Lakers do miss the playoffs, then they will be clowned for eternity. It also doesn’t help that this would be their second year in a row missing the postseason.

Now that the All-Star Game has passed us by, there are only a few more days left in the All-Star break. Ultimately, this has given Anthony Davis, LeBron, and his teammates plenty of time to rest. For Stephen A., however, their return will be filled with a lot of expectations. As Smith explains, the pressure is on right now for the Lakers. In fact, Smith believes this could damage LeBron’s legacy if they cannot find a way to get into the show.

Stephen A. Gets Honest

“You’re LeBron James, and you’re Anthony Davis, and you’re healthy enough to be on the court. You don’t make the playoffs? That’s quite embarrassing,” Smith said. It is hard to disagree with this assessment. However, it needs to be stated that LeBron and AD cannot do it all. Furthermore, this roster was not well constructed at the start of the year. This put the team in a hole for a very long time. Ultimately, LeBron has been doing everything he can to make this work. It will now be up to everyone else to play their role and give the Lakers some sort of success.

With 23 games left, the Lakers will need to win at least 15 of those games to make it into the playoffs. If they cannot get that done, then LeBron will be out of the postseason, yet again. It will be interesting to see how he plays knowing his legacy could very well take a hit. Stay tuned to HNHH for more news from around the sports world.

[Via]

Stephen A. Smith Claims LeBron Killed The Dunk Contest

by

Stephen A. Smith is one of the more opinionated people in the sports world. Overall, this is exactly why he is so popular. He is someone who knows how to get people riled up with his opinions, and he has been on his game for years. Although he may be controversial, ESPN loves having him on board. He brings ratings to the station, and at this point, he carries the entire network on his back. It is a hard job, although someone has to do it.

Throughout this season, Stephen A. and his various co-hosts have had to talk a whole lot about LeBron James. LeBron and the Lakers are 13th in the Western Conference, however, they are always the center of NBA discourse. Overall, this has proven to be exhausting for most fans. However, it appears as though Smith loves talking about the purple and gold. They are a team filled with storylines, and LeBron is definitely a contributor to all of that.

Stephen A. Berates LeBron

Over the weekend, the NBA had its infamous All-Star weekend. This included the dunk contest in which Mac McClung was the victor. For many, his win was amazing. However, for others, it was a sign of how stars no longer want to do the dunk contest. Consequently, Smith decided to use this opportunity to go off on the King. In the video clip above, Stephen A. said that he feels like LeBron ruined the dunk contest. This is because superstars used to always participate in the event. Although, James never did, and because of his lead-by-example attitude, other stars followed suit. Simply put, Smith is blaming the free will of others on an innocuous decision by LeBron. While some may agree with Smith, it feels like a bit of a stretch.

Superstar players are more than welcome to participate, regardless of LeBron. Moreover, using LeBron as a blueprint for not joining the dunk contest is incredibly weak. If you want to find a reason for the poor turnout, look at the judges who come in with massive biases. Let us know if you agree with Smith, down in the comments section below.

[Via]

Stephen A. Smith Puts Immense Pressure On Devin Booker

by

Stephen A. Smith has watched a lot of basketball throughout his life and career. Overall, basketball is the sport he is fondest of. That said, he is constantly giving his opinion on hot topics pertaining to the game. For the most part, his opinion in the basketball community is respected. Although there are definitely some people out there who feel the opposite. After all, Smith is a pundit who never played the game at a high level. Consequently, there are going to be people who are skeptical of whatever he has to say.

Recently, a hot topic of debate has been none other than the Phoenix Suns. The team just picked up the likes of Kevin Durant in a trade that completely shook up the entire NBA. Moving forward, the Suns are seen as title favorites. Although, they will need everyone to fire on all cylinders to make this happen. In the eyes of Stephen A. Smith, there is one player who is more important than the rest. Interestingly enough, this player is not named Kevin Durant.

Stephen A. Speaks

In the video clip above, Smith can be seen putting all of the pressure on none other than Devin Booker. As Stephen A. explains, Booker proved himself to be an MVP-caliber player last season. However, it was Booker who began to fall short in the playoffs. That said, Smith wants to see Booker play championship ball in the postseason. Smith knows Chris Paul and Kevin Durant will be ready. Regardless, if the Suns want any chance of capturing a title, Stephen A. believes it will be on the shoulders of Booker.

The Suns are a team built to win an NBA title. If they cannot get that done with Durant on the roster, then it will be seen as an abject failure. That said, there is pressure all across the board for this team. KD wants to cement his legacy while Chris Paul wants that first title. Only time will tell whether or not they can get it done. In the meantime, give us your thoughts on Stephen A.’s hot take, down in the comments below.

[Via]