Josh Hart’s season began with doubts over his offensive role with the Knicks, even after signing a four-year extension following a shocking midseason trade from Portland in February 2023. Ta.
But as the Knicks defeated the 76ers 111-104 at the Garden on Saturday night, starting the first round of the playoffs on Saturday, there was never any question about Hart’s integral role as a do-it-all wing.
After being sluggish from beyond the arc all season, Hart scored 13 of his 22 points in the fourth quarter, including three crucial 3-pointers.
“It felt really good. The last two games of the regular season, the season series, [Sixers coach Nick Nurse’s] The game plan was just to play me off and make me shoot,” Hart said. “I knew it the moment they won. And I knew it was going to be the same. [Erik Spoelstra] If Miami wins. So I knew I had to focus on open shots. Fortunately, I was able to defeat them. ”
The Harts, along with a starting frontcourt of Julius Randle (season-ending shoulder surgery), OG Anunoby (elbow surgery) and Mitchell Robinson (ankle surgery), lost Tom Thibodeau in the final two-plus months of the regular season. He became an extremely valuable main player for the Knicks. ) All important time is missing.
Hart, 29, started the final 36 games after Randle and Anunoby were sidelined for the first time in late January. He averaged 40 minutes per game during this span, surpassing league leader DeMar DeRozan (37.8 minutes per game), who played more than 79 games a season.
“At the end of the day, I go out there and play my game,” said Hart, who added 13 rebounds. “In practice, when the ball went up the middle, everyone was talking about, look at the rim, Jalen.” [Brunson]O.G. [Anunoby], I, you just do whatever you do. That’s how I approach the game. I just do what I have to do. ”
Hart, who signed a four-year contract extension worth $81 million in the summer, said in November that he “doesn’t feel included” in the team’s offensive set as a way to explain his early struggles with 3-point shooting. ” he said.
He played in 25 games since joining last season, shooting an impressive 51.9 percent from long range, and the Knicks went 18-7 in those contests.
Hart never fully rediscovered his outside shot, finishing the year with a career-low .310 shooting percentage from beyond the arc.
But the 6-4 wing appeared in the final 36 games, posting 12.0 points, 10.6 rebounds and 5.8 assists per game, emerging as a versatile dynamo who filled in various categories on the score sheet.
Hart recorded six triple-doubles, something he had never done in his first six-game NBA campaign.
“You have scoring days, you have rebounding days, you have playmaking days,” Hart said. “I don’t think it gave me confidence. I think it gave the players on the team and the coaches confidence to play different roles if needed.”
Hart, the nephew of Yankees legend Elston Howard, wore his hair in a New York style braid for the postseason.
He was clearly excited about the start to the playoffs, which Thibodeau described as a “monster game,” and he shouted along with the crowd after his fourth-quarter 3-pointer helped the Knicks win Game 1. .
“I was saying a lot of things. Some swear words. So please tell mom and dad I’m sorry for my bad language. It was just playing with passion,” he said, hitting 8 from long range. said Hart, who had four hits. “We knew we were going to get slighted and open at the 3-point line, but based on the regular season numbers, I think we shot like 30 percent. So this is a smart game plan.
“For me, it’s just about continuing to take shots…and having them respect me.”
