Credit: New York Basketball/X
NEED TO KNOW
- Former Knicks player J.R. Smith was shoved to the ground in New York City as fans celebrated the team's win over the 76ers on Monday, May 4
- Smith could be seen falling on top of other fans as some attempted to help him up
- After getting up, Smith was seen telling fans, "Relax, man, relax," in a video clip from the incident
Knicks fans got a little too excited after their team's playoff win — and former NBA player J.R. Smith faced the brunt of the fallout.
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Smith, 40, was at Madison Square Garden to see the Knicks dominate the Philadelphia 76ers in a 137-98 win on Monday, May 4, giving New York a 1-0 edge in the second-round series. But Smith, who played for the New York Knicks for four seasons, became a victim of the chaos as the celebrations poured into the city streets.
As seen in a video shared by New York Basketball, fans became rowdy while celebrating the playoff win, and Smith got caught in the middle of the raucous.
In the footage, dozens of fans can be seen jumping and shouting before one puts a hand above Smith, who quickly toppled over into the crowd and onto other fans. Some tried to help the former NBA star up to his feet while the video shook in the chaos, and several people could be heard shouting for help.
“Relax man relax “
— New York Basketball (@NBA_NewYork) May 5, 2026
JR Smith joined the crowd outside MSG
At one point it got out of hand pic.twitter.com/LCHRWM0EJN
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Once Smith was up, the rowdiness continued and Smith was seen telling fans, "Relax, man, relax."
"JR Smith joined the crowd outside MSG. At one point it got out of hand," the account wrote in the caption of the video.
NBA fans chalked it up to typical Knicks fan behavior, as the team's supporters are known for their rowdy celebrations. "It’s only Game 1," one X user wrote with a face palm emoji, while another said, "Enough w/ these stupid ass gatherings during and after games. NYPD need to shut this stupid s--t down. Why is this allowed??"
Another fan pointed out that Smith needs to avoid injury as he's set to graduate from North Carolina AT&T University on Saturday, May 9. "Sir you bout to graduate from the best HBCU in the world we need you healthy to see you walk," the fan wrote.
One day before the Knicks game, Smith picked up his cap and gown for the graduation ceremony and shared his excitement on social media. "If they know, they know what's in this bag," an excited Smith said as he showed fans a glimpse of his cap and gown.
Smith will receive a Bachelor of Arts degree in liberal studies–applied cultural thought, which he began to pursue after retiring from the NBA after the 2019-2020 season. Smith spent 16 seasons in the league and played for the Knicks from 2012 to early 2015.
Read the original article on People