Knicks Josh Hart Makes Selfless Move, Comes Off Bench to Help Team Win in Game 3
In a bold move aimed at shaking up a stagnant lineup, the New York Knicks made a surprising change on Sunday night, as Josh Hart came off the bench for the first time in 485 days, ceding his starting spot to center Mitchell Robinson. The move was designed to provide a much-needed shock to the system of a team that had been struggling for several months.
Hart, who had just finished his best season in eight years, averaging 13.6 points on 52.5% shooting, 9.6 rebounds, 5.9 assists, and 1.5 steals in a league-leading 37.6 minutes per game, was a vital two-way player for the Knicks team that advanced to the Eastern Conference finals for the first time in 25 years. He shot 41.3% from 3-point range and played a huge role in closing out both the Pistons in Round 1 and the favored Celtics in Round 2.
Players who have been so important typically don’t get sent to the second unit, unless they volunteer to do so. “I mean, it was never going to be a tough day for me,” Hart said after the Knicks’ latest comeback win over the Indiana Pacers in Game 3 of the 2025 Eastern Conference finals, a 106-100 victory. “Because I had a hand in that decision.”
Hart explained that he met with Tom Thibodeau and expressed his comfort with coming off the bench to make space for Robinson, a continuation of a dialogue that Hart said started against Boston. “This was a conversation that I've had before,” Hart said. “I actually had a conversation…before Game 6 [against the Celtics], when I was struggling with the matchup of Luke Kornet.”
After strong performances in New York’s thrilling wins in Games 1 and 2 in Boston, Hart went just 5-for-16 from the field over the next two games, having a difficult time getting untracked while being cross-matched against the 7-foot Kornet. While Hart scored a postseason-high 24 points in Game 5, making five of his nine 3-point attempts, the Celtics outscored New York by 24 points in his 36 minutes—a clear indication that a change might be necessary.
Hart didn’t start Game 3 but finished it with big plays down the stretch. He played the entire fourth quarter, finishing with 8 points, 10 rebounds, 4 assists, and 1 steal in 34 minutes off the bench. Robinson, for his part, finished with 6 points, 6 rebounds (3 offensive), 1 assist, 1 steal, and 1 block in 29 minutes.
“[The lineup switch] really didn’t impact either guy from a minutes standpoint,” Thibodeau said. “To me, when Mitch was coming off the bench, he’s a starter coming off the bench. When Josh comes off the bench, he’s a starter coming off the bench. Their minutes are going to be the same, and both guys mix and match, both guys are comfortable with both units.”
Hart’s willingness to sacrifice his starting spot for the good of the team is a true testament of his unselfishness and dedication to winning. “You know, whoever won the championship five years ago, you can’t really—you have no idea who the starters are,” he said. “It doesn’t matter how many points you score
