3 Major Takeaways From Knicks Game 1 Win Against Philadelphia

Can’t Win It Without Hart

If there is one thing you should always remember about Josh Hart, it’s that even when the shots aren’t falling, you will never get a lack of production and effort elsewhere. 

Hart had one of his more woeful shooting nights on Saturday, knocking down 5/12 from the field and 4/8 from the three-point area. Yet, he didn’t let the cold spell distract him completely, causing his usual scene on the glass as he helped the Knicks extend valuable possessions with his 13 rebounds. That was his second highest total in the month of April. 

The Knicks have benefited immensely from the rebounding prowess of Hart amid injuries to many of their bigger players throughout the regular season. Since he was acquired via trade in 2022, Hart has averaged 7.6 rebounds per game, including 6.8 on the defensive end, which equals his second best average of his nine seasons at the professional level. 

In that same span, Hart has notched his first six triple doubles as a result of consistent double-digit rebounding efforts and is now among the top Knicks in terms of the total instances of that category in a single season. The 76ers lost their track of Hart in the fourth quarter as he collected half of his total rebounds and his 32nd double digit affair of the 2023 season. 

Eventually, the shooting made its return for Hart in the final minutes of the fourth quarter. He nailed a few triples in the last five minutes of the contest, including a big shot to make it 107-100 with under a minute left to officially put the game on ice. The biggest thing was he never let go of his pride on the court and that is what will carry the Knicks deeper than this series if Hart can keep it up.