Hart has been nothing short of phenomenal lately.
After the Knicks edged out the Pelicans with a 121-116 victory at Madison Square Garden, Hart captured the essence of their recent success with a simple yet profound statement.
"Good teams win games that they're supposed to," Hart noted. "Obviously anyone in the league can beat you on any given day."
This mindset has propelled the Knicks on a seven-game tear, elevating them to a 48-25 record. They're now sitting pretty in third place in the Eastern Conference, just a half-game shy of the Celtics for the second seed.
Sure, their recent opponents-teams like the Pacers, Jazz, Nets, Wizards, and Pelicans-haven’t been the toughest competition, but as Hart wisely pointed out, victories are never a given.
Hart's role on this Knicks squad is invaluable. He plugs every gap, doing whatever the team needs. Averaging 12.2 points, 7.6 rebounds, and 5.0 assists per game, he's shooting career highs of 50.7 percent from the field and 40.4 percent from beyond the arc.
He excels in the nuances of the game-grabbing rebounds, making the extra pass, and defending multiple positions.
During this winning streak, Hart has been especially dialed in. He dropped a season-high 33 points against the Pacers, hitting 12-of-13 shots and nailing five threes. He followed that with 16 points against the Wizards, going 3-for-3 from deep.
Remarkably, Hart has hit nine straight three-pointers over his last three games, tying him for third in franchise history. This shooting surge is forcing defenses to rethink their approach against the Knicks.
When a player like Hart, not traditionally known for his shooting, starts lighting it up from outside, it opens up driving lanes for Jalen Brunson and creates more room for Karl-Anthony Towns inside.
Hart's insight about good teams winning the games they should underscores a challenge the Knicks have faced this season. Earlier, a tough 2-9 stretch from late December into January had fans questioning their championship viability.
Since then, the Knicks have turned it around, going 22-7 since January 20, boasting the league's top defensive rating in that span.
Even during this streak, the Knicks haven't always cruised, with slow starts and turnovers making games tighter than expected. Yet, whenever they've needed a hero-whether it's Brunson taking charge in the fourth quarter or Hart snagging a crucial rebound-they’ve found a way to seal the deal.