Josh Hart‘s contributions will be even more invaluable to the Knicks in their second-round series, which began tonight, Jared Schwartz of the New York Post notes.
While the Knicks were able to answer runs against the inexperienced Pistons in their first-round series, the defending champion Celtics possess a killer instinct to bury teams once momentum shifts their way. Hart can guide his teammates through those storms.
“For me, I’ve said it all year, it’s how can I get my guys going? How can I help them get an easy shot or an open look or get their energy into the game? A lot of that I do by example,” Hart said. “I’ll talk to guys obviously, but it’s making a big play here or there, a hustle play that will get one of those guys an open shot that they knock down, now they’re feeling good, the energy is up. That’s something I always try to do, that I hang my hat on.”
We have more from the Atlantic Division:
- A big concern for the Knicks is matching up against the Celtics‘ bench, Schwartz notes. Boston has the Sixth Man of the Year, Payton Pritchard, and several other contributors in reserve, while Miles McBride struggled during New York’s first-round series. Mitchell Robinson was the only second-unit player who provided consistent production against Detroit and they’ll need that again from him in this series.
- Speaking of Celtics reserves, Luke Kornet had to make a major career adjustment with the team. They asked him to be more of an interior presence, rather than joining the long list of big men tasked with stretching the floor. “It was actually really hard,” Kornet told Brian Robb of Masslive.com. “All of a sudden, the thing that I was most proud of and felt was my identity, and the reason I was in the NBA was kind of gone.”
- The Nets‘ stockpile of draft picks is more valuable than ever, Brian Lewis of the New York Post writes. They have multiple picks in this year’s loaded draft, plenty of extra picks and picks swap in future seasons. Cheap rookie contracts are more important now because of the restrictions in the current CBA.
Can’t believe Thibs used Precious ……
Celtics bench the difference so far …..
It’s one of them.
Two Way Bridges, Al. Stole one.
Can’t believe they pulled this out. Bridges still not scoring. Towns also need more points. Team D won this game. Long series not going to go as crazy as I feel lol……. Yeeeesssssss
link to x.com
2WayBridges comes up big tonight. Hit a huge 3 to ice it. Then clamps the D to close it out. He only scored 8 pts. And played 51 mins.
Knicks came back from 20 down. And (aristotle) you will like this. OG led the way with 29 pts. Our best defender lol ………. Knicks are 1–4 against Celtics now ………. Celtics shot a record 60 threes! 25% (15/60. Live by the sword die by the sword.
Knicks shot 45% on threes. McBride finally woke up. And Mitch showed up on D n 7rebs. Celtics never faced Mitch ……. Only one game. Wether its D on threes. Or just bad shooting on threes. Or a combination of both. Celtics are not the best team. If the threes are not dropping.
Bridges and Towns have to give more consistent offense. And the bench has to show up, Thibs has to trust them. Bridges wielded the sword tonight.
NYK ———
Big win Al !! Nicely done. Exciting series ahead…
Celtics bricked 45 3s and still barely lost. Not a good look for Knicks but got to give them credit. Pulled the rabbit out the hat
link to nba.shar.estori.es
link to nba.shar.estori.es
Bridges………. defense and offense ….
Hope its his coming out party ……..
link to x.com
Knicks missed 14 FTs…. and still won! 😆
2Way players ………. Knicks have two of them .
Jalen brown shot 1/10 Threes, 7/20 FG
Jasun Tatum shot 4/15 Threes, 7/23 FG
KP left game. So Celtics were down a shooter. As a team Celtics shot 34/97 35.1% …… defense wins in playoffs. This game is a 2Way sport. For Knicks to win this series. They will have to play team D. And Towns Bridges have to score. They were fortunate to win this one. Well that happens when you play till the end. Knicks stole one. Now they have to protect home court. Been waiting all year for Bridges to level up. I’m hoping this is it …… he won this game by himself last 2:30 mins.
Timing isn’t necessarily everything, but it’s often significant, and certainly was in the Bridges’ trade. The NYK moves in the off season weren’t ideal or what was envisioned after the end of the season. The Bridges’ trade was made shortly after the NYK were advised (in the pre-FA window) that Hartenstein was going to get that rumored 30 mm per year contract offer from OKC, and prior to either OG’s contract extension being finalized or (more significantly) the Towns trade.
In short, I doubt the Bridges’ deal happens at the time it did, or on the terms it did, if either retaining Hartenstein were deemed likely, or the FO knew that Towns was available. Not saying they wouldn’t have been a suitor for him if and when he was generally made available, but there wouldn’t have been a premium on making the deal prior to league year ending (and the new CBA rules taking effect), using BB’s contract (so as not to lose another of their core players in the deal), and having flexibility on the final structure until after the draft to avoid the first apron hard cap (OG and Hartenstein, if he decided he didn’t like $$ that much, still had to be signed). Bridges wasn’t a C, but he checked a lot of boxes for them, and they determined he was the best player who fit them that they could acquire for only draft picks essentially. I’m sure they didn’t want to give them all up, but BKN was holding all the cards there.