ESPN analysts Stephen A. Smith and Chris “Mad Dog” Russo received into a heated argument on Wednesday over Golden State Warriors famous person Stephen Curry’s legacy within the NBA Finals.

The dispute on First Take comes a day earlier than the NBA Finals between the Warriors and the Boston Celtics.

The dialogue started with a picture showing that Curry is 9-1 with famous person Kevin Durant – who played for the Warriors between 2016 and 2019 wherein he won two championships – and 8-10 with out him. Curry has won one championship with out Durant, who now performs for the Brooklyn Nets.

Russo remarked that Curry “was no longer just right in the large game and could no longer get his team house up three-1 … with two home video games” within the 2016 NBA Finals, which used to be gained by way of the Cleveland Cavaliers, led by using hometown hero LeBron James, in seven games.

“Let’s now not overlook that before we sit there and put Curry on this high type as I believe my little chum over right here might do momentarily,” mentioned Russo, regarding Smith.

Russo said that “Durant used to be the easier player” than Curry in the championships the two received together in 2017 and 2018.

Smith stated Curry “has to be indicted” for bad play in the final three games of the 2016 championship collection. However, persisted Smith, Magic Johnson was once known as “Tragic Johnson” for struggling in the NBA Finals towards the Celtics, who won in opposition to Johnson’s Los Angeles Lakers in seven video games in 1984 just for the Lakers to return back and win the championship the following year.

Smith defended Curry and mentioned him averaging more than 25 points per game, 6 assists and five rebounds in his playoff profession. But Curry had to be “deferential” to Durant when he used to be there given Durant’s prowess on the offensive side of the ball.

“Let’s pump the breaks a little bit on being crucial of Stephen Curry and as an alternative recognize the fact that he simply is, no crime in no longer being Kevin Durant, 6-eleven with a 7-6 wingspan that may shoot from three’s, acquired a mid-vary recreation that’s lethal, can end in the open court docket, can score, can generate … can register an 88 p.c free throw shooting [percentage],” stated Smith. “This is Kevin freaking Durant we’re talking about right here. Let’s appreciate that when we’re speaking about Steph Curry.”

Smith and Russo went back and forth, yelling over each other while debating Johnson and Curry’s prior of dropping and successful in the NBA Finals – a abstract of which is too much to explain right here and will also be watched within the video above.

Watch above, via ESPN.

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