Friday night saw the Knicks slay a number of metaphorical dragons during this playoff run. Game 6 was the first series-clinching win at home in 25 years, which was also the amount of time it’s taken for the Knicks to make it back to the Eastern Conference Finals.
But Josh Hart also accomplished a feat not seen in a Knicks uniform in over 50 years.
Hart scored 10 points, came down with 11 rebounds and dished 11 assists all with a black eye suffered by an errant elbow in Game 5. It’s Hart’s 10th triple-double this season (including playoffs), but it’s his first career triple-double in the postseason. In fact, it’s the Knicks’ first playoff triple-double since Walt Frazier in 1972 — fitting considering how Hart eclipsed Frazier’s franchise mark for triple-doubles in a season this year.
“He’s the heart of the team,” Frazier said on the MSG broadcast. “The black eye, he was undaunted by that. The good rebounding. he grows on you. You just watch him, he does whatever it takes to win the game. He doesn’t worry about the points … he’s the heart of the team.”
“He impacts the game in a lot of different ways and people get stuck on ‘well, he didn’t shoot the ball or he didn’t do this.’ Josh, what he is is he’s a basketball player,” coach Tom Thibodeau said of Hart after the game. “It’s transition, it’s the pace, playing out of the pocket, making corner threes. Dribble handoff, hustle plays, offensive rebounds and defensively just being everywhere and coming up with big rebounds.
“When you play with that kind of effort, it’s inspiring to a team.”
Hart’s inspiring play was on full display in Game 6. Whether it was crashing to the hoop before kicking out to an open man beyond the arc, or taking it to the basket himself for an and-one. The third-year Knick brought the effort, and it was infectious.
Effort — or the lack thereof — was a big talking point after Game 5’s loss. Jalen Brunson, Hart, and others criticized how they played in that game, especially letting a nine-point lead in the second quarter devolve into a 25-point loss. The Knicks were determined not to let that happen again.
So, what worked for the Knicks on Friday night? Communication.
“We have to end quarters right, and that’s something that we did and we were able to pick it up in the second, get stops, run and play Knick basketball,” Hart explained. “Everyone played well, everyone talked, everyone communicated. Made plays offensively and defensively. That’s something we preach all the time is ending quarters strong.”
They’ll have to keep that communication and effort when they take on the Indiana Pacers in the Eastern Conference Finals. The Pacers eliminated the Knicks in the second round last season after seven games. But this Knicks team has another streak to break in mind — going to their first NBA Finals in 25 years.
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