Josh Hart finally took a seat on the New York Knicks’ bench Friday night.
With 8:05 remaining in the third quarter of the Knicks’ Game 3 matchup against the Indiana Pacers, New York coach Tom Thibodeau subbed out Hart for the first time all series. Hart had played the last 12 full quarters of playoff basketball, dating back to halftime of the Knicks’ series-clinching 118–115 win over the Philadelphia 76ers in the first round on May 2.
JOSH HART HAS GONE TO THE BENCH 🚨 pic.twitter.com/xGv83Feror
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) May 11, 2024
Hart’s break was short-lived, however. Thibodeau put him back in the game for Precious Achiuwa with 3:13 to play in the third quarter. But for Hart, those nearly five minutes of game clock he spent reseting probably felt like a lifetime.
When he stepped back on the floor, Hart sparked a 10–2 run to end the third quarter. The Knicks, leading 2–0 in the series, entered the fourth quarter leading the Pacers 90–85 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
Hart has previously addressed his heavy workload in Thibodeau’s rotation.
“It’s a reality,” Hart said back in March. “But the reality also is that our job is to play basketball. You got people getting up at 6 a.m. doing 12-hour shifts. Those people are tired.
“For us, we’re playing a game and obviously, we’re fortunate enough to play a game like this. We’ve gotta keep that in perspective.”
Hart entered Game 3 averaging 18.0 points, 12.8 rebounds and 5.3 assists across the Knicks’ first eight playoff games. He registered nine points and 14 rebounds through the first three quarters Thursday night.
