Josh Hart feels he 'failed' the Knicks in Eastern Conference finals

Peter Sblendorio, New York Daily News on Jun 1, 2025

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NEW YORK — Josh Hart didn’t sugarcoat it.

Typically the Knicks’ do-it-all glue guy, Hart was not satisfied with how he played in the Eastern Conference finals.

“I failed the team,” Hart said after the Knicks’ season-ending Game 6 loss to the Indiana Pacers at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. “I didn’t bring it the way I should have, especially in this series, and if I played better, it could’ve been a different situation.”

Hart scored a series-low four points on 1-of-6 shooting in Game 6, while his six rebounds matched his lowest output of any game in the postseason. His 22 minutes were his fewest in any game this season.

He said he suffered a dislocated finger in the fourth quarter of Saturday’s 125-108 defeat, and afterward, he shook hands in the locker room using his non-dominant left hand.

Hart finished the series with a plus/minus of -16, meaning the Knicks were outscored by 16 points with him on the court.

“I didn’t play how I normally play,” Hart said. “There were some games I had three or four turnovers and let that cause me to get out my game and make me passive, because you know how costly turnovers are.”

Hart committed five turnovers in the Knicks’ Game 4 loss before he fouled out. He finished the series with 13 turnovers.

The 30-year-old guard did deliver some late-game heroics, particularly with his rebounding, in the Knicks’ wins in Games 3 and 5.

But Hart averaged 8.3 points and 3.0 assists per game — both well below his season averages — to go with 9.3 rebounds per game.

“I felt like I was playing hard, trying to find it,” Hart said.

Hart started each of his 77 appearances in the regular season, as well as the Knicks’ first 14 playoff games. His +38 in the Knicks’ first-round series against the Detroit Pistons was the best on the team.

But after the Knicks’ starting lineup was outplayed in the first two games of the conference finals — contributing to an 0-2 series hole — Hart volunteered to come off the bench.

Seven-foot center Mitchell Robinson started the final four games in Hart’s place.

“I had some good games and then some bad games,” Hart said. “Just trying to find it. I couldn’t find it. Obviously, extremely disappointed. Could’ve and should’ve played better. That’s gonna sting for a while.”

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