The Cleveland Cavaliers baited Josh Hart into taking 3s, and the New York Knicks’ Swiss Army Knife made them pay on Thursday in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference finals. He finished with five triples and a playoff career-high 26 points that fueled a 109-93 victory, which has his Knicks leading the Cavs 2-0 in the series.
Hart struggled with Cleveland’s defensive cross-matching in the series opener, but he wasn’t gun-shy the second time around.
He wound up with 7 assists, 4 rebounds, 2 steals and only 1 turnover in the win. Afterward, Knicks head coach Mike Brown compared Hart to Andre Iguodala, who won four NBA titles with the Golden State Warriors and whom Brown coached as an assistant under Steve Kerr.
“… You’re looking at X’s and O’s, and you want everything to be perfect, and you’re looking at the box score, and you’re looking at this, and, with Josh and with Andre, all that s*** should be thrown out the window cause those dudes are winners,” Brown said.
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Hart then was asked about that comparison and what it’s like to be a player whose impact can’t be necessarily be quantified.
“Iggy, first off, was a hell of a player,” Hart said postgame, seated next to Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns. “I don’t know if I’m at that level. But I just try to go out there and just play my game.”
Hart had been shooting 26.7% from 3 during the playoffs. He went 5 of 11 from deep in Game 2 versus Cleveland.
Hart continued, starting to smile: “I’m never a huge analytics guy. At a certain point, they’re a lamppost to a drunk person. You can lean on ’em, but it won’t get you home.”
As soon as Hart said that, the always-expressive Towns removed his sunglasses and exasperatedly turned away from Hart with a look of disbelief before humorously swinging his head back around, practically lost for words.
“At a certain point, you got to have a good feel for the game,” Hart finished.
“Oh, my God, bruh,” Towns said.
Hart then attributed the now-viral quote to his head coach at Villanova, Jay Wright, who notably guided Hart and fellow Knicks Mikal Bridges and Jalen Brunson to a national championship in 2016. Bridges and Brunson won it all with the Wright-led Wildcats in 2018, too.
“His quote, man,” Hart said. “So, shoutout, Jay Wright.”
Another version of that quote was uttered years ago by ex-Toronto Maple Leafs general manager Brian Burke at the MIT Sloan Sports Analytics Conference. Nonetheless, Wright’s adaptation, echoed by Hart on Thursday night, is center stage at the moment.
“Wait, hold up. We not moving on from that,” Towns said amusingly.
Hart doubled down on the accuracy of the quote, leading to an exchange that drew more laughter from the assembled media in the bowels of Madison Square Garden.
“I was with Cal,” Towns said, referencing his one-season stay at Kentucky under then-Wildcats head coach John Calipari, “so I ain’t hear that.”
Hart quipped back: “You ain’t even go to college.”
The banter between Knicks players makes them a fun watch before, during and after games. It also contributes to their chemistry, a camaraderie that’s paved the way for another postseason run.
Hart is one of the most vocal members of that New York locker room. He isn’t afraid to speak his mind, and poor shooting doesn’t deter him from letting more attempts fly.
His confidence was on full display Thursday, both on the court and at the podium.
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