“They Want the Knicks Bad”: Stephen A. Smith Makes Major Detroit Pistons Confession as New York Ends Painful Wait to Win Trophy

Despite being ecstatic about the New York Knicks' NBA Cup title, sports analyst Stephen A. Smith said they still have to go through a strong Eastern Conference rival.

The Knicks won the NBA Cup on Tuesday, defeating the San Antonio Spurs 124-113 in Las Vegas. Smith discussed the Knicks' NBA Cup run on Wednesday's "First Take," saying that New York might have a chance in a wide-open East. However, Smith admitted that the Detroit Pistons are the team to beat in the conference.

"The Eastern Conference looks vulnerable," Smith said (Timestamp: 3:49). "Now, I will confess, the Detroit Pistons are no joke. I am not shoving them aside, they are coming and they want the Knicks bad."

Smith went on to praise a well-rounded game from Jalen Brunson and OG Anunoby, as well as New York's much-improved depth this season:

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"In the end, I'm excited about the Knicks. ... I'm looking at a level of depth that the New York Knicks have, how they're more even more efficient offensively. And that gives me cause to get excited."

The Knicks last hung an NBA championship banner in Madison Square Garden in 1973. Fans have grown frustrated in New York having little success in over 50 years.

New York is 18-7, which is 2.5 games behind Detroit (21-5) for the East No. 1 seed.

Chris Russo rips the Knicks fans celebrating 'inauthentic' NBA Cup championship

Sports radio personality Chris "Mad Dog" Russo blasted the New York Knicks' NBA Cup title celebration. In the same episode of "First Take" on Wednesday, Russo said the tournament shouldn't be celebrated like winning an actual NBA championship.

"I apologize, somewhere, Walt Frazier and Willis Reed and Red Holzman are saying, 'Really? We’re gonna celebrate this stupid thing? This inauthentic creation to jazz up the regular season, which means absolutely nothing in the big picture?'" Russo said.

Russo threw shots at the Knicks giving out championship shirts and caps, adding:

"The idea that anybody thinks that this is important, boy, because it’s December, we gotta jazz up their regular season? This is inauthentic. You do not convince a serious sports fan about something that's not authentic, and this is inauthentic."

Per Russo, the NBA Cup tells us "nothing" about the playoffs. The previous tournament champions, the LA Lakers and the Milwaukee Bucks, both lost in the first round.

New York and its fans will reportedly celebrate the distinction before Friday's game against the Philadelphia 76ers at Madison Square Garden. According to Knicks reporter Ian Begley, the team will not raise an NBA Cup banner, unlike the Lakers and the Bucks, to not distract them from their ultimate goal of winning the NBA Finals.

Edited by Kim Daniel Rubinos