PHILADELPHIA — Josh Hart was expecting the 76ers to dare him to shoot, even with the success he had from long distance earlier in the series.
Hart knocked down likely the biggest 3-pointer of his career, a tiebreaking shot with 25.1 seconds remaining in the Knicks’ 118-115, series-sealing win Thursday night over the 76ers.
“Josh was Josh,” coach Tom Thibodeau said after the game. “He’s a player. He’s put a lot of time into his shooting. I always feel like, I don’t know what it is about him. There’s so many intangibles that he has, that makes your team good.
“I always have the belief that when it’s a big shot, it’s going in. He has that ability. When you need an offensive rebound, he’s gonna go through three, four, five people and go get it. It’s a loose ball, he’s gonna make something happen. He’s just a fierce, fierce competitor.”
Josh Hart took the 3-pointer when he had the chance. Charles Wenzelberg/New York PostHart shot just 31.0 percent from 3-point range during the regular season, a precipitous falloff from the 51.9 percent he’d posted in 25 games with the Knicks late last season following a trade with the Trail Blazers.
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But with the Sixers’ game plan to swarm Jalen Brunson and dare Hart to beat them, he sank four 3-pointers in each of the first three games and three more Thursday.
Hart did not miss his chance for the Knicks. Charles Wenzelberg/New York Post“It was a rotation, obviously they blitzed J.B., so I knew [Tyrese] Maxey was right there, right next to me, so my first instinct was if they rotate, to make a pass to Tay,” Hart said, referring to teammate Donte DiVincenzo. “Obviously the game plan was to not rotate to me.
“The second I saw they were not rotating, I got my feet set and took an uncontested shot.”
Hart ended up with a strong first-round series for the Knicks. Charles Wenzelberg/New York Post
Hart’s 3-pointer helped seal the win over the 76ers. Charles Wenzelberg/New York PostHart finished the series averaging 16.8 points, 12.3 rebounds and 4.5 assists in 46.3 minutes per game, including all 53 minutes in Game 5 and 46 more in Game 6.
Hart, who had ice bags on both knees after the morning shoot-around, tweaked his ankle in the second quarter, but he remained in the game.
“Josh is never close to coming out,” Thibodeau joked. “It was a passing thought, and I let it pass.”
