CHICAGO — In Friday night’s 108-100 loss to the Bulls against the Knicks, Josh Hart was quickly and permanently banned from the locker room for a flying leg kick, whether intentional or overnight.
Hart, the team’s glue, was thrown for a flagrant-two foul with 34.1 seconds left in the first quarter.
The forward was stripped during the drive and connected with his leg on the side of Chicago’s Javonte Green’s head in mid-air.
Tom Thibodeau said he was informed by the referee that the kick was deemed intentional. Nevertheless, official Scott Foster said, “Intent is not the criterion.”
“But the windup, the impact and follow-through, the potential for injury, whether the act was a non-basketball play, the location of the contact and whether it appeared to be a reckless act are all things we consider. It’s a standard that we felt we met.” We appreciate this decision,” Mr Foster told Pool reporters.
Mr. Foster, accustomed to controversy and quick triggers, initially taught Mr. Hart the technicalities.
Foster said the flag foul was ruled after a video review and consensus among all three officials.
“We took our time and reacted because we understood the impact our decisions would have on the game,” Foster said.
Hart, in cold shock, protested to Foster before retreating to the locker room after his shortest appearance (11 minutes) since he was ejected in the first quarter against the Clippers on Dec. 16.
Replays showed no clear indication that Hart’s kick was intentional.
Rather, it appears that Hart was trying to maintain balance and Boots was careless.
It was a close call at best, and it was a blow for the Knicks.
They struggled to find help for Brunson on offense and were dominated on the glass, two areas where Hart could have assisted.
“He’s an important player, especially as teams try to acquire Jalen,” Thibodeau said. “We can’t afford to do that. It’s a fine line. Josh has been great for us. But the margin of error is very narrow at this point. We have to get through the distractions. It’s a fine line. It’s a tough decision. But it’s even tougher to lose it. But it is what it is. We have to learn from it.”
Asked what the referees said about the ejection, Thibodeau said, “They said it had to be done.”
“Under the rules, we considered the act to be unnecessary and excessive, so this is a flagrant foul penalty of 2,” Foster added.
Miles McBride, without Hart, started in the second half and scored 19 points on 6-of-11 shooting in 38 minutes.
Hart was coming off one of his best games of the season Thursday, scoring 31 points in a win over the Kings.
Green was unfazed by the kick. He scored 25 points off the bench and also completed a double-pump reverse dunk in the second quarter.
