Josh Hart revealed his side to the controversial no-call story during the final possession of the New York Knicks’ victory over the Detroit Pistons in Game 4.
With a score of 94-93, the Detroit Pistons had the ball on the Bound property drawn for star player Cade Cunningham.
The one-off All-Star missed the shot, but the ball was still loose and the Pistons regained their possessions. This time it was Tim Hardaway Jr. who tried out from the corner, but Josh Hart closed him.
Hardaway Jr. missed the shot and the buzzer rang. That meant the New York Knicks took a 3-1 lead in the series, but many felt Hart had contact with Hardaway Jr. in the closeout.
The replay also showed that Hart’s impact appeared to foul the Pistons player, but the referee made a decision.
After the match, Hart confirmed that he had contacted Hardaway Jr. for final ownership.
After the game, the Pistons head coach was visibly upset by the referee, and even his press conference expressed his dissatisfaction.
Speaking about the play, Hart said: “Did I get in touch with him? Yeah, I got in touch with him. Was it legal? I don’t know! You’ll see it in the last two minutes of report.”
After the match, crew chief David Guthrie spoke to reporter Coty Davis, where he agreed that the call should have been Hart’s foul.
“It was determined during live play that Josh Hart had a legal defensive play. After a post-match review, Hart observed that Hardaway Jr. was more than a small amount and that the foul should have been called,” Guthrie said.
Hart was a key piece for the Knicks in Game 4 victory as he contributed 14 points, 10 boards and five assists.
He also thrusts the ball out of Cunningham’s hand late in the clutch.
Jalen Brunson was praised for his 32-point performance, but the Knicks probably wouldn’t have completed the turnaround without Hart’s resilient display.
Hart broke the Knicks’ triple-double record in the regular season, but has also continued his playoff exploits, demonstrating his contribution to the team.
He doesn’t take many shots in the series, but Hart shoots 46.9% off the field and 55.6% above the arc, and averages 10.8 ppg.
He was also a threat to the board, and was on display again as he grabbed 10 of the team’s 38 rebounds again in Game 4.
The series against the Pistons has always been physical, and it’s certainly true that the Knicks had a heart at the corner, and they were good.
He not only plays big minutes, but it was the impact he has made Hart a great player, which has helped them a lot in this series.