Stephen A. Smith and Kendrick Perkins join Shae Cornette on First Take to discuss the Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Detroit Pistons second round matchup in the 2026 NBA Playoffs, the winner of which will face the New York Knicks in the Eastern Conference Finals.
0:00 Optimism around OJ Anunoby
1:12 Rest vs. rust
4:30 James Harden’s expectations
6:45 Jalen Brunson’s comments
8:10 Perk’s thoughts
11:10 The Brunson sweepstakes
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@eddy5097
May 14, 2026 at 10:00 pm
OG been injury prone since he got drafted
@Jblaze211
May 14, 2026 at 10:04 pm
I laugh when the Knicks Fans pop up when we are Winning in Season/Playoffs where we’re ya been Past 20 years LOL😂😂😂😂
@STAyTHIrstyMyFREind
May 14, 2026 at 10:22 pm
Someone take perks Mic away lmao. WEmby, Jokic, Giannis , Luka, Steph (at his current age), Tatum, Jalen Brown, Tyrese Maxey, Cade Cunningham, Kawhi, Jalen Johnson, Kyrie Irving (Current Age)… then maybe Brunson… Let’s go Knicks! Honorable Mentions: VJ Edgecombe, The Foul Merchant, Cooper Flagg, Alex Sarr, Paulo BAnchero and Franz Wagner. RElax
@sethtabor3844
May 14, 2026 at 10:22 pm
Perk only saying 4 without naming Luka or Giannis is so crazy. I am so sick of this guy being on ESPN having any type of voice
@tonyfino1
May 14, 2026 at 10:26 pm
Give me Luka over Brunson any day of the week
@kdot1.0
May 14, 2026 at 10:30 pm
If you’re going to go out your way to include Steph then let’s not pretend like LeBron, Giannis & KD wouldn’t be over Brunson if they weren’t old. He wants to be Steph’s friend so bad bcuz most of the other aging greats don’t rock with him. Stop it Stephen 🥱.
@dillonswarath3541
May 14, 2026 at 10:46 pm
Howd they not included Luka in that list?
@kendallgordon655
May 14, 2026 at 10:58 pm
WRONG! Brunson came to NY in 2022. KD was already on da nets in 2019-20 season but was hurt. LIARS
@DJMellyMell_
May 14, 2026 at 11:11 pm
STILL WRONG SAS
@vyronnjaybonghanoy8908
May 14, 2026 at 11:11 pm
OG Anunoby Return ECF against the Pistons or Cavaliers after Hamstring Injury Sweep win against the 76ers.
@Flatlands_Zombie
May 14, 2026 at 11:16 pm
SAS wants to so badly be right that he still gets it wrong.🤣
@Masterygg2
May 14, 2026 at 11:33 pm
OJ Anunoby
@Persianone36
May 14, 2026 at 11:34 pm
Man.., I can actually watch the show now with NOT HAVING MOLLY BUTTING IN EVERY FEW SECONDS!!!
@ClifftonM
May 14, 2026 at 11:47 pm
SA is incorrect. When we missed on Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant, it was Julius Randall we settled for. When the rent was a free agent, Bronson was still with the Mavericks.
@lonz0_0
May 14, 2026 at 11:48 pm
Luka???
@deedeesmart1374
May 14, 2026 at 11:55 pm
Josh Hart was right, SAS is not a real Knicks fan and don’t know sports. JB went to the Knicks in 2022 3 years after KD went to Brooklyn and you have Perk sitting there saying “right, right!” Dumb and Dumber!
@joemartengco9313
May 14, 2026 at 11:58 pm
Regarding injury Perks does not understand too much cause of his career he is just sitting on bench 😂
@growingwithjoy
May 15, 2026 at 12:06 am
Shay asking Stephen A are you okay 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂
@christianmcmahon1029
May 15, 2026 at 12:07 am
1) SAS calling someone a fake Knick fan is hilarity, he has no business talking lmao
2) there was no Kevin Durant Sweepstakes when we signed JB. Nice try though
@THEREALKRKR
May 15, 2026 at 12:16 am
Luka is elite too
@drodegennaromusic8492
May 15, 2026 at 12:19 am
“OJ” lmfao
@asylum1166
May 15, 2026 at 12:35 am
SAS didn’t do his due diligence on this one 😂😂😂
@santiagosolís29
May 15, 2026 at 1:08 am
OJ Anunoby 💔
@GioASAp
May 15, 2026 at 1:44 am
How yall botch his name???
@nightthree214
May 15, 2026 at 1:52 am
My goodness StephenA such a clown. Brunson came in 2022 wayyy before the whole KD thing