Looking at the box score of the Knicks’ Game 1 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Tuesday, it would appear Josh Hart had a bad game.
Not only did he shoot below 50 percent from the field and 20 percent from downtown, Hart had two turnovers, played just 31 minutes of a game that went to OT, and had a plus/minus rating of -23, meaning when he was on the court, New York was outscored by 23 points.
In Thursday’s Game 2, Hart, on the surface, played much better. He scored 26 points, including going 5-for-11 from three-point range, with seven assists and four rebounds and added two steals to one turnover. His plus/minus rating was +18.
It’s true that Hart definitely had a better game on Thursday than he did on Tuesday, but he doesn’t necessarily believe he had a bad game in Game 1.
“I’m never a huge analytics guy,” he said on Thursday night. “At a certain point, they’re a lamp post to a drunk person – you can lean on them but it won’t get you home. At a certain point, you gotta have a good feel for the game.”
While Hart’s analogy, which drew incredulous laughter by not only reporters but Karl-Anthony Towns, who was sitting right next to him, is certainly interesting, head coach Mike Brown agrees with the sentiment that Hart is more than just his stat sheet.
“He does so many little things that don’t show up on the box score,” Brown said. “I mean obviously, he shot well tonight, he scored 26 points, he had seven assists, one turnover, but he does so much more.”
To truly appreciate Hart’s impact on the game, one must look past just his stats and actually watch what Hart does on the court.
Sometimes that means simply defending the other team’s biggest player. Maybe it’s a recovered loose ball at a pivotal moment in the game that completely shifts the momentum, or perhaps it’s just something he says to his teammates in the huddle.
Whatever Hart does, Brown notices and doesn’t take it for granted. Brown even compared Hart to another player he coached while he was with the Golden State Warriors: Andre Iguodala.
“They’re different players, but they’re similar players because Andre is edgy too,” Brown said. “And Andre is a hell of a player and he does so many little things that if you’re not careful, you won’t appreciate them. It’s the same with Josh.”
Iguodala spent 19 seasons in the NBA, but other than a few really good seasons with the Philadelphia 76ers in the mid-2000s, his numbers never exactly jumped off the page.
During the Warriors’ dynasty in the mid-2010s, Iguodala hardly ever started, yet he impacted the game so much that he actually won NBA Finals MVP in 2014-15 while averaging just 10.4 points per game during the playoffs.
Thursday’s offensive output notwithstanding, Hart is very similar for the Knicks, which is exactly why he has earned Brown’s benefit of the doubt.
“Because he’s so impactful as a connector, I gotta give him probably more leash than anybody else,” Brown said. “I gotta let him go be him and get out of his way.
“And that’s hard sometimes as a coach because you’re looking at X’s and O’s and you want everything to be perfect and you’re looking at the box score and you’re looking at this and with Josh and with Andre, all that s— should be thrown out the window because those dudes are winners.”
Hart appreciated the high praise and comparison to a potential Hall of Famer, but his focus continues to be solely on winning.
“Iggy was a hell of a player, I don’t know if I’m at that level, but I just try and go out there and play my game,” Hart said.
