On ESPN's First Take, New York native Stephen A. Smith had some passionate words for the Brooklyn Nets, their trio of superstars, and Brooklyn's city and fanbase, following the blowout loss they suffered at home in the Barclays Center last night, against the Golden State Warriors.
Stephen A.'s vehement soliloquy was especially aimed at Nets' superstars Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving, the dynamic tandem that also added former NBA MVP James Harden to the mix last year, in Brooklyn.
However, after Durant's former Warriors' teammate Stephen Curry dropped 37 points with nine 3-pointers in Brooklyn's ugly loss last night, Stephen A. Smith didn't hold back his opinion on the current state of the Nets.
"KD, you made the wrong decision bro, and here's why: because you trusted Kyrie. Kyrie Irving betrayed you! And while you're sitting up there, getting your a** kicked last night, Steph Curry is sitting there, shimmying and joking around, laughing on the court. They were chanting 'MVP' in the Barclays center, and it wasn't for [Durant], it was for Steph Curry!"
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Stephen A. has been a known critic of Kyrie Irving's decision to essentially leave teammates Durant and Harden high-and-dry after electing not to get vaccinated under the city of Brooklyn and New York's mandates, as well as new NBA regulations. Still speaking to Durant, Stephen A. doubled-down on his Kyrie opinion and the state in which Irving has left his team in, saying that:
"[Kyrie] can't be trusted. I actually hope Kyrie Irving gets cut. I mean this is a disgrace. To sit up there and watch this team last night look like straight garbage. And [you've lost to] every respectable team that you go against."
"Why?" Smith continued. "Because KD ain't got no help. You left there all alone. You ain't got a culture, you don't even have a damn fan base. Brooklyn, the borough of Brooklyn, should be ashamed of [yourself]! It's just dead. You walk up in there, there's no fan base to gravitate towards, there's no momentum, there's no fervor, there's no passion, nothing!
"I'm showing more passion in this studio, by my damn self than 17,700 plus showed, at the Barclays Center for the Brooklyn Nets, last night!"
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Durant and the Nets have work to do if they intend on competing for a championship this season, and according to Stephen A., the people on the court at the Barclays Center aren't the only ones who need to step their games up.
Watch Stephen A. Smith's entire reaction on First Take, below: