Stephen A. Smith believes Mike Brown will be fired if the Knicks lose in the first round of the playoffs.
“Mike Brown will be scapegoated”
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Mike Brown Sounds Off on Referees After Knicks' First Loss of the NBA Finals
The New York Knicks enter the 2026 NBA Playoffs as the No. 3 seed in the Eastern Conference, facing the Atlanta Hawks in the first round. While expectations remain sky-high for Jalen Brunson and team, a chilling verdict from Stephen A. Smith has cast an unsettling shadow over Mike Brown’s future, and the entire Knicks franchise.
ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith didn’t hold back when addressing what a first-round exit would mean for Brown’s job security. The outspoken analyst made his stance crystal clear, stating:
“What happened to the Knicks if they end up getting bounced in the first round? Mike Brown is going as the head coach — Karl-Anthony Towns likely, Miles McBride, Mikal Bridges, and who knows who else is going.”
Stephen A. Smith believes Mike Brown will be fired if the Knicks lose in the first round of the playoffs.
“Mike Brown will be scapegoated”
Smith doubled down, warning that a loss to Atlanta specifically would be catastrophic:
“If you lose in the first round to the Atlanta Hawks, I think heads are going to roll — because remember, you got rid of Tom Thibodeau… I think that ultimately Mike Brown will be scapegoated.” He added that New York “would be in an absolute uproar” and that “several players would be booted out of the city.”
The Knicks are the favorite by a wide margin in this game despite Smith’s gloomy warnings. The Knicks beat the Hawks two games to one in the regular season. Jalen Brunson was outstanding in their last game, scoring 34 points and dishing out five assists.
After three games, the difference in skills and teamwork should reveal in what way this series is going to go very clearly.
The Knicks organization would probably attempt a huge roster turnaround before they changed their head coach.
Mike Brown’s rotation system is already set and showing promise, so it would be a big decision to change the coach.
Changing the coach is a big expense and based on the history of ownership, they have been a trade-first type of team and firing is always the last resort decision.
Jayesh Pagar Jayesh Pagar is a writer at Heavy Sports, covering the New York Knicks and other NBA teams. He brings four years of experience across digital sports media, including NBA, WNBA, college basketball, and college football. He covered as the Knicks beat writer for ONSI and has written for Sporting News, and ClutchPoints. More about Jayesh Pagar
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