Tom Thibodeau came under fire from fans after he decided to bench the regular starter, Josh Hart, in place of Mitchell Robinson for Game 3 of the Knicks' Eastern Conference Finals series against the Pacers. After the Knicks somehow rallied back from a 20-point deficit to steal the game, Josh Hart spoke to the media to clarify his role in taking this decision.
He said, "It was never going to be a tough day for me because I had a hand in that decision. So when I'm in a decision like that and kind of got the ball rolling on that, it was funny because y'all was scrambling trying to get answers and all that. I never really cared much because it was kind of my decision, and I was comfortable with it."
He further added, "This was a conversation I've had before, I've actually talked to you about it before Game 6, when I was struggling with the matchup of Luke Kornet, I wasn't really able to figure that out."
He concluded by saying, "It's something that's always been on the back of my mind and something I'm willing to do. Down 2, especially looking at how he played last game, it was just something that we had to do. Obviously, it was a group decision, but it really boiled down to Thibs and myself.... I don't care if I start or I play 20 minutes."
Hart struggled against the size of Pascal Siakam and Myles Turner in Game 2, which prompted the decision to start Robinson instead. Robinson was a +6 while Hart was -10 on the +/- for Game 2. After being a regular off the bench last season, Hart became a regular starter for the Knicks this season.
Hart averaged 13.6 points, 9.6 rebounds, and 5.9 assists in 77 games as a starter for the Knicks this season. In comparison, Hart averaged 6.9 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 2.6 assists in 39 games off the bench in 2023-24. Hart finished this game with only 8 points.
His effectiveness as a starter is clearly visible. However, as per the match-up with the Pacers, Hart may not be in the best position to start. Considering the Knicks won this, we expect Hart will come off the bench again. But one simply cannot predict what Thibodeau plans to do.
What Jalen Brunson Said About Josh Hart's Decision To Get Benched
Jalen Brunson, who himself struggled with foul trouble in Game 3, spoke to the media about Hart's decision to get benched so that Mitchell Robinson can start instead. Brunson spoke highly of Hart and praised his ability to sacrifice for the team.
He said, "He wants to win, and it just shows who he is as a person, as a player, and as a teammate. He doesn't care about anything individual. It's the true testament of a great teammate."
Heading to Game 4 in Indiana, the real question that remains is, will this change be enough for the Knicks to come back in the series? We can certainly expect many more shocking coaching decisions from Thibodeau.
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