Josh Hart offered a candid reflection following the New York Knicks’ 125-108 loss to the Indiana Pacers in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Finals on Saturday night.
The defeat ended New York’s playoff run and sent the Pacers to their first NBA Finals in 25 years.
Speaking postgame, Hart admitted the Knicks fell short in key areas.
“They obviously played well,” he said. “They played fast. Turnovers were tough for us. We had some lapses in communication, and in postseason, you can’t do that.”
The Knicks turned the ball over 17 times, and Indiana capitalized, opening the third quarter with a 9-0 run that changed the momentum of the game.
Hart acknowledged the locker room was subdued afterward.
“Not much to be said,” he stated. “We knew we kind of gave this one away. You can’t start 0-2, especially losing two at home.”
New York dropped the first two games of the series at Madison Square Garden before forcing a Game 6 in Indianapolis.
The veteran guard called the loss “tough” and said the team’s frustration will carry into the offseason as motivation.
“We’re all disappointed,” Hart said. “We’ll take that into the summer and make strides.”
When asked to evaluate his own performance in the series, Hart did not hold back.
“Just kind of disappointed,” he admitted. “I had some good games, some bad games. I just was trying to find it. I just couldn’t find it.”
He finished with four points, six rebounds, and one assist in 22 minutes off the bench in Game 6.
“I didn’t play how I normally play,” he added. “I failed the team. I didn’t bring it how I should have, especially in this series.”
Despite the loss, Hart acknowledged the team made progress compared to last season.
“We lost Game 7 last year in the semifinals, and now we made it to the conference finals,” he said. “It’s about next steps.”
Hart voiced support for keeping the core roster intact but admitted change is a possibility.
“You’re always going to hear me say ‘run it back,’” he said. “But when you don’t get to where you should have, changes are made.”
Now heading into the offseason, Hart said the group must improve individually before regrouping.
“We’ll continue to make strides, continue to improve,” he concluded. “But it’s tough to look at it right now.”
The Knicks finished the season 51-31 and eliminated both Philadelphia and Boston before falling to Indiana, which advances to face the Oklahoma City Thunder in the Finals.
