Knicks Spark Returns in Overtime Victory

After a slow start, Madison Square Garden lit up during the Knicks’ astonishing 22-point comeback, resulting in a dramatic 115-104 overtime win against the Cavaliers in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals. In a surprising move, Josh Hart’s inconsistent shooting led to his benching for most of the fourth quarter and overtime, with Mike Brown opting for Landry Shamet in crunch time.

Shamet rewarded Brown’s trust by sinking a corner 3-pointer to level the game in the dying seconds of regulation, followed by an additional free throw in overtime, ending with a plus-20 rating— the best on the team.

Hart, who contributed 13 points, seven rebounds, and four assists, had a rough outing shooting just 1 for 5 from beyond the arc, resulting in a team-worst minus-23 rating over 30 minutes. The numbers didn’t quite tell the whole story, though.

Meanwhile, Hurts penetrated the paint well, utilizing a series of rotational moves to outmaneuver Cavaliers, but his perimeter accuracy didn’t seem to impress Cleveland’s coach, Kenny Atkinson, who instructed his defenders to heavily contest Hart’s shots from outside.

The Knicks struggled early, missing 17 of their first 19 three-point attempts, with Hart missing his initial four attempts— one merely grazed the rim, another narrowly missed, and one wasn’t close at all. Despite this inefficiency, Brown knew that Hart, who has had a career-high 41.3 percent shooting rate from deep this season, would need to find his rhythm.

“If Josh is open, he’s got to let it fly,” Brown remarked after the game. “He’s capable of making those shots. Confidence is key.” Hart’s tumultuous history in the postseason includes shaky performances from deep, like going 5-of-21 in last year’s round against Miami, 6-for-22 against Indiana, and struggling at 2-of-11 in the conference finals last year.

Despite these inconsistencies, Hart’s contributions on both ends have been significant, filling various stats in the box score. Yet, he went just 5-of-23 for threes against the Hawks in the first round, sparking questions about his shooting reliability.

As for the Cavaliers, they’ll likely revert to their successful strategy against Hart in the upcoming games.

“When I get on the court, I just have to be confident and shoot the ball,” Hart stated in the past about his approach, though he didn’t speak to the media following the win. “I know I’m a good shooter. I trust my work.”