Josh Hart reacts to being fined for egregious flop in Celtics-Knicks originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston
If you can’t beat ’em, try to draw flagrant fouls on ’em.
That was apparently Josh Hart’s plan in the New York Knicks’ matchup with the Boston Celtics at TD Garden on Sunday. With the Knicks trailing by 20 points in the third quarter, Hart felt Jrue Holiday’s hand grab his waist on a New York fast break and hit the deck like he was hit by a bus.
Unfortunately for Hart, his plan backfired. Not only did the referees determine there was no foul by Holiday on the plan, the NBA also hit Hart with a $2,000 fine for flopping on Monday.
The veteran guard didn’t seem particularly upset about his punishment, however, cracking an acting joke on social media shortly after receiving his fine.
“Dang no Oscar for me,” Hart wrote with a laughing emoji.
Flopping antics aside, Hart played well Sunday, finishing one assist shy of a triple-double with 20 points, 11 rebounds and nine assists. But New York’s struggles against Boston this season are no laughing matter. After their 118-105 loss on Sunday, the Knicks are now 0-3 against the Celtics with an average margin of defeat of 21 points.
“It’s tough; they’ve got three-level scorers at every single position,” Hart said of the C’s after Sunday’s blowout.
“Man, you’ve got (Jayson) Tatum, who will probably be First-Team All-NBA, Jaylen Brown will probably be Second Team, then (Kristaps) Porzingis, (Derrick) White, Jrue (Holiday), (Payton) Pritchard’s probably Sixth Man. They’ve got everything, man.
“They’re a heck of a team, well-coached team, disciplined team, but we gotta step it up.”
The Celtics and Knicks will play one more time in the regular season — April 8 in New York — and potentially could meet in the second round of the playoffs as the No. 2 vs. No. 3 matchup if both teams win their first-round series.
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