Josh Hart leaned heavily on the Knicks’ shared history and internal chemistry as New York prepared for Game 4 of the NBA Finals against the San Antonio Spurs after a 115-111 Game 3 loss that shifted the series to 2-1.
Speaking on the group’s continuity, Hart pointed to long-term familiarity as a key stabilizer in late-game situations. “I think you just get a familiarity and there’s a certain comfort level,” he said. “You know, with those guys, you know, all of them can go out there and make plays.”
He expanded on how trust has shaped the Knicks’ execution in high-pressure moments. “Especially end the shot clock, you know, J, you know, end the shot clock, JB, you know, I trust Mikal in any end the shot clock, any game, you know, end the game situations,” Hart said, referencing Jalen Brunson and Mikal Bridges.
Hart also highlighted the broader group reliability that includes OG Anunoby and Karl-Anthony Towns. “Same thing with OG, KAT,” he said. “So, I think it’s just more so just a trust that’s built and you’re able to know where everyone likes the ball.”
Defensively, Hart acknowledged adjustments are coming after San Antonio repeatedly pressured New York’s interior defense. “We just got to do a better job of controlling the ball, you know, first and foremost,” he said. “And, you know, making the ball find those guys.”
He also pointed to the Spurs’ offensive pressure and physical identity, led by Victor Wembanyama, as a central challenge. “They’re a good team. They’re a physical team, athletic team,” Hart said. “We have to have a little bit of a better attention to detail.”
New York’s Game 3 breakdown included slower offensive stretches and reduced transition opportunities, something Hart connected directly to flow and pace. “I think we played a little bit slower than we did in that second quarter,” he said. “We got stops, we ran.”
Hart added that free throw frequency disrupted rhythm. “Obviously they shot a lot of free throws, so it was tough to run,” he said. “That kind of sometimes caused you to slow down.”
Despite the setback, Hart said the locker room mindset remains steady after a long postseason run that included a 13-game winning streak. “No, I mean every loss kind of hurts the same,” he said. “We got to give them credit for that. We didn’t play to the best of our capabilities.”
He also emphasized the team’s reliance on film study and repetition in preparation between games. “You watch film as a team, you gotto watch film as individuals,” Hart said. “You want to watch kind of as much film as you can to get as much information as you can.”
Hart closed with a message on consistency and internal reset, stressing that preparation does not shift based on result. “Zero-zero,” he said. “Whether we won yesterday or lost yesterday, it would have been the same mentality.”
The Knicks now turn to Game 4 in New York, aiming to respond after the Spurs’ comeback win tightened the series and restored momentum to San Antonio heading into a pivotal matchup.
