Kenny Smith said he called Stephen A. Smith regarding his criticism of Kyrie Irving when the “First Take” host had beef with the Mavericks star during the 2022 season. During TNT’s pregame show Tuesday ahead of Game 4 of the Western Conference Finals between the Mavericks and the Timberwolves, Kenny explained how he got Stephen A. to “fall back” in his previous battle with Irving. “There’s been a constant change in the thought process about [Irving] by the mass media. As a basketball player, we’re not talking about his political and social stances and looking at him in a negative view,” Kenny said while discussing Irving’s growth.