The New York Knicks claimed a spot in the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time in 25 years after eliminating the defending champion Boston Celtics in a six-game second-round battle Friday night.
Jalen Brunson, Karl-Anthony Towns, OG Anunoby and Mikal Bridges combined for 89 of the Knicks’ 119 points in their 119-81 rout of Boston in Game 6 on Friday, but their gritty forward Josh Hart could be argued as the MVP of the highly-anticipated contest.
Hart’s endless hustle and grit helped New York create a 27-point first-half lead and ultimate 38-point margin of victory, as he finished with a 10-point, 11-rebound,11-assist triple-double in nearly 33 minutes of work.
Incredibly enough, Hart’s wonderful outing came just two days after taking an elbow to the face from Boston’s Luke Kornet in Game 5 on Wednesday, leaving the 6-foot-4 forward covered in blood. Following New York’s close-out win in Game 6, Hart took to social media, using his injury as tool to send a defiant message to the NBA world.
“Back in Blood,” Hart shared via Twitter/X on Saturday afternoon, with a photo of his bloodied face attached.
New York’s improbable series victory over the 2024 NBA champion Celtics could be arguably be summed up by Hart’s recent post.
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Even when New York had been beaten and battered in the first two games of the series in enemy territory, the group managed to make two historic 20-point comebacks to take a commanding 2-0 series lead.
The Knicks may have been down in those instances, but were never out. Same goes for Hart, who finished Game 5 with 24 points and seven rebounds despite the laceration he sustained above his left eye, and followed it up with a sensational triple-double effort in Game 6.
As the Knicks head to the Eastern Conference Finals to face the Indiana Pacers, Hart will surely be looking to use his fire and intensity to help his team potentially claw their way to the NBA Finals for the first time this millennium.
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