Josh Hart credited persistence and team resilience after the New York Knicks erased a 20-plus point deficit in their Game 1 overtime win over the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference Finals.
Reflecting on the comeback, Hart described the moment the game shifted. “We were dead in the water at a certain point. We were down 20 or 22 or 23 whatever it was and we just kept chipping away and kept tapping at the rock and finally the rock broke,” he said.
The Knicks forward pointed to the emotional swing during the late sequence, especially after a chaotic shot that rolled off multiple parts of the rim before dropping. “The same as everybody. I saw the crowd reaction and it hits the rim and it’s like oh, and then it just kind of rolls in,” Hart said. “Everyone started yelling, had that crowd pop. It was the same way. You’re deflated for five seconds and then you’re hyped the next moment.”
Hart also broke down his offensive approach when guarded by Cleveland’s interior defense, led by Jarrett Allen. He emphasized consistency in shot selection. “Just whatever I feel in the moment. I shot good shots. I just didn’t make them,” he said. “I’m going to continue to shoot with confidence.”
He added that adjustments come naturally within the flow of the game. “If they don’t go in, then I got to find a way to combat that whether that’s getting guys in DHOs and quick actions while the big is in that drop and get them open shots,” Hart said.
Looking ahead to Game 2, Hart expects a strong response from Cleveland after the collapse. “They’re going to come out with extreme energy, attention to detail, focus, a sense of urgency and desperation,” he said. “And we got to not match that, but we have to exceed it.”
Hart also stressed that New York’s approach must start earlier in the game after a slow middle stretch in Game 1. “So we got to make sure we come in focused and have a better start than we did,” he said.
He acknowledged the impact of leadership during difficult stretches, pointing to communication within the roster. “We all kind of do that and that’s just the makeup of our team,” Hart said. “That’s what you need in the playoffs and adverse situations for guys to talk, hold each other accountable, steady the ship.”
Hart highlighted Mikal Bridges’ late-game impact, referencing both Game 1 and previous clutch moments. “Mikal’s been an amazing player since high school, college,” he said. “He really makes those winning plays especially down the stretch when it’s winning time whether that’s big shots, big stops.”
Despite not being on the floor during the key comeback sequence, Hart downplayed any frustration about his role. “I want to be out there. I want to help my guys win,” he said. “But I put the success of the team over the success of myself any day.”
