Hoops Wire

Tag: Josh Hart

  • East Notes: Knicks, Josh Hart, Wizards, Pacers, Myles Turner

    East Notes: Knicks, Josh Hart, Wizards, Pacers, Myles Turner

    Knicks

    Forward OG Anunoby returned and looked good, but it was wing Josh Hart who utterly dominated in Tuesday’s rout of the shorthanded 76ers. Hart recorded 20 points, a whopping 19 rebounds and 10 assists as the Knicks started to resemble themselves again.Josh Hart, New York Knicks, NBA

    “I think we played to our strengths,” Hart told reporters. “I think we played faster. We took care of the ball. We rebounded the ball. We cut, we moved, we got good shots.”

    Anunoby hadn’t played since Jan. 27 because of a right elbow injury and ensuing surgery. He scored 14 in his return.

    “It felt great. It’s been a while,” Anunoby said. “Missed playing here, missed the fans, missed my teammates.”

    • In the event you forgot, the Sixers beat the Knicks by a 79-73 count Sunday in a game that appeared to be straight out of 1994. It was the lowest-scoring contest of the NBA season. In this one, the Knicks shot 50.6% from the field and 35% on 3-pointers.

    Wizards

    The Wizards failed in their bid to win three straight for the first time this season when they lost to the host Grizzlies on Tuesday.

    Washington trailed by as many as 25 and never led.

    “I have to take it on me,” interim coach Brian Keefe told reporters. “I didn’t have the group ready to play from the start. We had a terrible first half. We weren’t ready to go.”

    That said, the Wizards did battle back to cut the massive deficit to 94-88 with 5:24 to go.

    “We changed our mentality,” Keefe said. “We came out and played with an aggressive mindset.”

    Pacers

    Center Myles Turner suggested the Pacers’ road win over the Thunder wasn’t a surprise, despite what some may think.

    “We’re a good team that scores a lot of points too,” Turner said. “That’s mostly what this league has come to. The difference tonight was our defense. Whenever we lock in on that side, it’s a different game for us.”

    Turner scored 24 points in a true team effort from Indiana — which also featured 18 points and 12 assists from Tyrese Haliburton and 18 points and 11 rebounds from Pascal Siakam.

    Coach Rick Carlisle offered special praise to Siakam, acquired in a trade with the Raptors in January.

    “Games like tonight are the reason you make a trade for a guy like Pascal Siakam,” Carlisle said. “He can create, he has length defensively, he can affect shots at the rim defensively and he rebounds.”

    • Indiana native Gordon Hayward got his first start for the Thunder, scoring nine points in 30 minutes. Hayward was acquired by OKC in February and has appeared in 11 games with the team since then.
    • The Pacers held the Thunder to just 43% shooting. “They missed some shots they normally make probably,” Carlisle said. “But our guys were working to make it hard on them.”
  • Knee Injury To Knicks’ Jalen Brunson Not Considered Serious

    Knee Injury To Knicks’ Jalen Brunson Not Considered Serious

    The knee injury suffered by New York Knicks point guard Jalen Brunson is not serious, coach Tom Thibodeau told reporters on Sunday.Jalen Brunson, NBA, Mavericks, Knicks

    Brunson went down in the first quarter after knocking knees in the Knicks’ 107-98 road win over the Cleveland Cavaliers.

     “They just did an X-ray, everything was negative,” Thibodeau said, via Stefan Bondy of the New York Post. “I guess (Brunson may play Tuesday vs. the Hawks). It’s a knee contusion and everything was negative so we’ll see where he is (Monday).”

    Thibodeau added that it’s unclear how Brunson suffered the injury, forcing the All-Star to exit the game in the first minute.

    Knicks guard Josh Hart finished with 13 points, a whopping 19 rebounds and 10 assists, joking that he had no choice but to put up a triple-double since “Jalen decided he didn’t want to play.”

    Also, guard Donte DiVincenzo said he suspects Brunson will be all right.

    “I asked him if he was OK and he said he’d be fine. And that’s everything to me,” DiVincenzo said, via Bondy. “Like I said the last time he went down (with a sprained ankle earlier in the season), I don’t worry about Jalen. He’s one of the toughest guys in the league. So whatever it is, I truly can say, I don’t know. Whatever it is, he’s going to bounce back. He’s tough as nails.”

    Brunson, 27, is having a career season with averages of 27.7 points, 6.6 assists and 3.7 rebounds, shooting 48 percent from the field and 41 percent on 3-pointers. 

    The Knicks (36-25) are fourth in the Eastern Conference, one spot behind the Cavs.

  • Karl-Anthony Towns among next main trade targets for Knicks

    Karl-Anthony Towns among next main trade targets for Knicks

    After recently finalizing a deal to acquire OG Anunoby from the Raptors, the Knicks are said to be actively still on the trade market, as they have assets to spend, including eight available first-round picks.Karl-Anthony Towns

    That is to say, rumors are swirling around the league that one of their next main trade targets is Timberwolves’ 3x All-Star Karl-Anthony Towns, but a concrete offer hasn’t materialized as of yet.

    During an appearance on FanDuel TV, Shams Charania of The Athletic reported that the Knicks are “always going to have interest in” acquiring the 7-foot big man if made available by the Timberwolves.

    Important to realize, that a mid-season splash move for Towns may be a hard bargain to make, considering that the Timberwolves are currently the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference with a 24-8 record. With this in mind, the 28-year-old Towns is finally a part of a contending Timberwolves team for the first time in his nine-year career, so any deal for the Timberwolves’ 2015 first-overall pick, more likely than not, will require multiple players and have draft picks involved.

    The Knicks recently acquired Anunoby, Precious Achiuwa, and Malachi Flynn while sending RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley to the Toronto Raptors. Certainly, Anunoby, who led the NBA in steals last season, will fit right into Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau’s defensive-minded scheme and be a big upgrade for a New York team, who have been lacking defensively. Nevertheless, this also means Knicks’ co-stars Jalen Brunson and Julius Randle will now be left to carry most of the load offensively. Thereupon, this deal may have opened up the opportunity to bring in another offensive star, leading Knicks president Leon Rose to seek another in-season blockbuster trade.

    “It’ll be interesting to see how long it’ll be before the Knicks make another move,” an NBA executive told HoopsHype. “There’s not a lot of shot creation for other players on the roster now, and there’s a lot of pressure on Brunson. I get why New York made the trade. The team was playing selfishly. Anunoby is a better fit with what they have than Barrett.”

    With the Knicks parting ways with two shot-creators in Barrett and Quickley, Donte DiVincenzo, Josh Hart, and Quentin Grimes will all be now pushed into larger roles in the rotation.

    By all means, a player like Towns may be interesting to pair with Randle, especially considering the Knicks have been searching for a consistent frontcourt player, following the loss of starting 7-foot center Mitchell Robinson, who will be out for the remainder of the season after undergoing ankle surgery.

    In his ninth season with the Timberwolves, Towns is currently averaging 21.4 points and 9.2 rebounds per game, while shooting 50.9% from the field and 41.3% from three-point range. As a result, Towns is highly sought after due to a combination of his size, shooting ability, and the fact that he is one of the top 7-footers in the league, in his prime, which makes him a viable trade candidate.

    To point out, this past offseason Towns had previously been linked to the Knicks in trade rumors, however, it was said New York might not want to take on the Timberwolves star’s massive contract. With that being said, ​​after moving pieces around, the Knicks may now have extra flexibility by creating a $5.2 million trade exception, so they are now $5.1 million below the NBA tax line.  

    To note, this 2023-24 season, Towns is earning $36 million, and then his four-year, $224 million supermax extension with the Timberwolves is set to kick in during the 2024-25 season.

    Namely, the Knicks were first linked to Towns in April of 2023, when an NBA source told Sean Deveney of Heavy Sports that both Towns and New York had mutual interest.

    “The interest in making that happen would be mutual, for sure,” the source told Deveny. “KAT and the Knicks are intertwined. To some people, it is more a matter of when they go after him, not if.”

    Undoubtedly, adding Towns to a core of Brunson, Randle, and now Anunoby could bolster the Knicks to make a deep playoff run in a competitive Eastern Conference, however, considering the Timberwolves may have a chance at a championship run, it is yet to be seen if Minnesota will be willing to engage in trade talks at this time.

    As the Knicks are currently the 8th seed with an 18-15 record, they are eager to move more assets ahead of the February 8 trade deadline. The other notable potential trade target names that have been thrown around for the Knicks include guards such as Donovan Mitchell or Dejounte Murray, and big men like Andre Drummond and Clint Capela could also be targeted in the coming month.

  • Knicks could trade Julius Randle next

    Knicks could trade Julius Randle next

    The Knicks pulled off one big trade on Saturday, acquiring forward OG Anunoby in a deal that sent guard/forward RJ Barrett and guard Immanuel Quickley to the Raptors.Julius Randle

    That may not be their only move.

    According to several reports and Hoops Wire sources, New York may still try to reshape the roster by exploring trades centered on power forward Julius Randle. One source described such a move as “unlikely,” but added it may be based on how things play out from here.

    Basically, the Knicks are expected to see how things play out with their new lineup, featuring Anunoby, Randle and point guard Jalen Brunson, over the next month — then decide on whether another move is necessary just before the Feb. 8 trade deadline.

    New York also added depth by acquiring serviceable forward Precious Achiuwa and guard Malachi Flynn in the trade (and sent a second-rounder, via the Pistons, back to Toronto). 

    As it stands, one opposing executive told Ric Bucher of Fox Sports that he believes the trade for Anunoby puts the Knicks ahead of others who may be fighting for a top-four playoff spot.

    “The Knicks rank eighth in offense but only 16th in defense, which makes them a middle-of-the-road team,” the exec said. “Adding OG should move them into the top 10, defensively, which should elevate their ceiling and give them a fighting chance against the top three teams in the East.

    “That puts them above the chase pack of Miami, Cleveland, Orlando and Indiana. The Knicks didn’t have a starting caliber small forward or mobile power forward on their roster but they have plenty of other options at shooting guard –(Josh Hart), (Donte DiVincenzo) and (Quentin Grimes).”

  • Josh Hart after Knicks blasted at home: ‘You can’t be so consumed with stats’

    Josh Hart after Knicks blasted at home: ‘You can’t be so consumed with stats’

    For the most part, the Knicks have looked pretty good this season. That is, unless they’re playing the Bucks.Josh Hart

    Another example of that came Saturday, when the Knicks were hammered by a 130-111 count at Madison Square Garden. It marked their second blowout loss to Milwaukee this month.

    The latest loss also wasted a 36-point effort from guard Jalen Brunson. But when you lose, you may as well score 0, because that’s what you’re putting up in the win column.

    Just ask Knicks guard/forward Josh Hart.

    “Stats don’t really mean s–t when we’re losing,” Hart said, via Stefan Bondy of the New York Post. “You can’t play for stats, you can’t be so consumed with stats. And obviously we’re in New York. You’re going to be talked about. You’re going to be talked about well when you have good stats. When you have bad stats, you’re going to be talked about badly. But at the end of the day, you can’t play for stats.”

    Hart likely wasn’t talking about Brunson. He may have been defending RJ Barrett, who went just 5-of-17 from the field. As Bondy noted, Barrett is making just 20.8 percent of his 3-pointers over the past six games.

    On the bright side, the Knicks (16-12) have still won half of their last 10 and aren’t falling too behind the Eastern Conference leaders.

    On the not-so-bright-side, they have to play the Bucks again on Christmas Day.

  • Knicks Sign Ryan Arcidiacono to Camp Deal; Waive Dmytro Skapintsev

    Knicks Sign Ryan Arcidiacono to Camp Deal; Waive Dmytro Skapintsev

    The Knicks have signed guard Ryan Arcidiacono and waived center Dmytro Skapintsev, the team announced in a pair of press releases.Ryan Arcidiacono

    Arcidiacono received an Exhibit 9 contract for training camp, per Ian Begly of SNY.tv. In short, he will count toward the preseason roster of 21 but not the regular-season roster unless he receives a standard deal.

    Arcidiacono, 29, is 6-foot-3 and became a favorite of coach Tom Thibodeau, Begley reports. He becomes the fourth former Villanova player in camp, joining Jalen Brunson, Josh Hart and newcomer Donte DiVincenzo. Arcidiacono is said to be particularly close with Brunson.

    That said, Arcidiacono very well could be headed back to the Westchester Knicks of the G League after spending the past two-and-half seasons with New York. He was traded to the Trail Blazers as part of the Hart deal in February, then later waived in April.

    He appeared in 20 games combined with the Knicks and Blazers last season, spending the first four years of his career with the Bulls.

    Skapintsev, 25, is 7-1 and signed an Exhibit 10 deal with the Knicks in August. He appeared in five Summer League games with the Knicks, averaging 7.4 points and 6.6 rebounds.

  • Team USA Notes: Austin Reaves, Bobby Portis, Josh Hart

    Team USA Notes: Austin Reaves, Bobby Portis, Josh Hart

    Team USA seems to be having no issue as favorites at the FIBA World Cup, with the latest example being a route of Greece for a second straight double-digit win in group play.Austin Reaves

    Lakers guard Austin Reaves led the way with 15 points, six assists and five rebounds, and some are calling him the Americans’ best player so far.

    Bucks forward Bobby Portis told reporters the early success is all about teamwork and chemistry.

    “We stand together, obviously, it’s a journey, a long road ahead for us,” he said. “Two more weeks left with this team, and hopefully, we can get to the final round. We’ve been together for three and a half weeks now. Nobody complains about playing time, everybody plays for each other, playing for the name you find on this jersey. That’s what this brand is about: playing for each other, going out here, winning and having fun.”

    Added Knics guard Jalen Brunson: “For us it’s all about feel and how we just need to attack the game as soon as we step on that court,” Brunson said. “We’re still growing, we’re still learning and we still have a lot of time to get better.”

    • Coach Steve Kerr indicated he has been particularly impressed with Knicks guard/forward Josh Hart, who collected 11 rebounds off the bench vs. Greece. “People ask, what position does he play? He plays winner,” Kerr said, via Joe Vardon of The Athletic. “I don’t know what position he plays, but he gets loose balls. He guards anybody. At one point, Spo (Erik Spoelstra) turned to me and said, ‘Some people get 50-50 balls. He gets to 30-70 balls,’ and I thought that was really well said.”
    • Kerr added that Team USA is continuing to adjust to international rules, which tend to allow for a more physical style of play than the NBA. “Everybody is going to try to beat the crap out of us because that’s their best chance to beat us,” Kerr told reporters.
  • World Cup Preview: Team USA, NBA Players Participating, Schedule

    World Cup Preview: Team USA, NBA Players Participating, Schedule

    It’s FIBA World Cup time — which may not mean much to sports fans in general, but it sure gives basketball fans something to do during football season.Jalen Brunson drives to the basket as a member of Team USA.

    It’s true, as for the next 10 days, there will be at least eight basketball games a day, many of which will feature NBA players. Included in that, of course, is Team USA, which is ONLY NBA players.

    Other countries have some NBA guys, though not as many as fans would probably like — given that Giannis Antetokounmpo (Greece), Nikola Jokic (Sertbia), Kristaps Porzingis (Latvia) and Jamal Murray (Canada) are among those missing the tournament for one reason or another.

    Anyway, the World Cup will continue on through Sept. 10, when both the championship and consolation games will be held. The only day in that stretch with no basketball is Sept. 4, when everyone is given a day off.

    At first, we will have group play in which each of the 32 national teams will play six games. After that, we get into the tournament portion.

    Most of Team USA’s games will air on ESPN2, though you will need ESPN+ or the ESPN app to watch the whole thing. For the record, not one member of the team has played in international competition such as the Olympics or World Cup previously.

    The Americans’ roster is as follows:

    Not a bad lineup, and it’s actually kind of intriguing all the way around. Plenty of good players there. But not exactly LeBron James, Kevin Durant and Stephen Curry.

    Either way, you have to like the Americans’ odds of getting out of Group C, and perhaps even going undefeated in that group, which also includes Jordan, Spain and New Zealand.

    So, is it pro basketball at its finest? Probably not. But is it sure to be some mighty fine basketball during football season? Without a question, and basketball fans around the world will undoubtedly take it.

    Below is a list of NBA players for each country. You can find the full schedule here.

    Angola: Bruno Fernando, C, Hawks.

    Australia: Xavier Cooks; Dyson Daniels, G, Pelicans; Dante Exum, G, Mavericks; Josh Giddey, G, Thunder; Josh Green, G, Mavericks; Joe Ingles, F, Magic; Patty Mills, G, Hawks; Matisse Thybulle, G, Blazers; Jack White, F, Thunder.

    Brazil: Raul Neto, PG, Cavaliers/Fenerbahce.

    Canada: Nickeil Alexander-Walker, G, Timberwolves; R.J. Barrett, G/F, Knicks; Dillon Brooks, F, Rockets; Luguentz Dort, G, Thunder; Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, G, Thunder; Kelly Olynyk, F, Jazz; Dwight Powell, C, Mavericks.

    China: Kyle Anderson, F, Timberwolves.

    Dominican Republic: Karl-Anthony Towns, C, Timberwolves.

    Finland: Lauri Markkanen, F, Jazz.

    France: Nicolas Batum, G/F, Clippers; Evan Fournier, G, Knicks; Rudy Gobert, C, Timberwolves.

    Georgia: Goga Bitadze, F, Magic; Sandro Mamukelashvili, F, Spurs.

    Germany: Dennis Schroder, PG, Raptors; Daniel Theis, C, Pacers; Franz Wagner, F, Magic; Moritz Wagner, C/F, Magic.

    Greece: Thanasis Antetokounmpo, F, Bucks.

    Italy: Simone Fontecchio, G/F, Jazz.

    Japan: Yuta Watanabe, F, Suns.

    Latvia: Davis Bertans, F, Thunder.

    Lithuania: Jonas Valanciunas, C, Pelicans.

    Monetnegro: Nikola Vucevic, C, Bulls.

    Philippines: Jordan Clarkson, G, Jazz.

    Serbia: Bogdan Bogdanovic, G/F, Hawks; Nikola Jovic, F, Heat; Filip Petrusev, PF, 76ers.

    Slovenia: Luka Donic, G, Mavericks.

    South Sudan: Wenyen Gabriel, F/C, Lakers; Carlik Jones, PG, Bulls.

    Spain: Santi Aldama, C, Grizzlies.

  • World Cup Notes: Matthew Dellavedova, Josh Hart, Kristaps Porzingis

    World Cup Notes: Matthew Dellavedova, Josh Hart, Kristaps Porzingis

    Australia

    Veteran guard Matthew Dellavedova is not among the 13 players on the Australian national team that will travel to Melbourne for FIBA World Cup exhibition games, per EuroHoops.

    In other words, Dellavedova likely will not be playing in the World Cup games later this month. In Australia, that’s big news, as Dellavedova has been a major part of the national team for more than a decade.

    Dellavedova, who turns 33 next month, recently signed with the Melbourne United of Australia’s NBL. A longtime favorite while with the Cavaliers, he spent last season with coach Mike Brown and the Pacific Division-champion Kings. 

    Delly became known for sacrificing his body over and over again, and then some more, during his prime. It may have caught up with him at this stage of his career.

    USA

    Knicks guard Josh Hart landed a contract extension with the Knicks, reportedly four four years and $81 million, while training with Team USA in Spain, as relayed by Joe Vardon of The Athletic.

    In other words, the deal was finalized electronically.

    “It was actually pretty cool, I was just laying down on the training table, getting some treatment, on FaceTime with (wife Shannon) and signing the contract,” Hart said. “It meant a lot. I wasn’t highly touted coming out of high school, wasn’t highly regarded in the draft, went through free agency the first time and I was restricted, it was a terrible experience for me, so to be able to do this, it’s a dream come true — just being able to have something that can take care of my parents, my family, my kids.”

    The Americans tip off World Cup play Aug. 26 vs. New Zealand.

    Latvia

    The Latvian national team shot down a report that new Celtics forward Kristaps Porzingis will miss the FIBA World Cup after reportedly suffering a foot injury.

    Then again, a statement released by the team was fairly vague.

    “There has been information that questions the participation of Kristaps Porzingis in the FIBA ​​World Cup. LBS denies this information,” the English translation reads. “Both the players’ individual preparation plans and the team’s overall training process are ongoing. The line-up for the match against the Dominican Republic will be announced on August 12.”

    Latvia opens World Cup play Aug. 25 vs. Lebanon.

  • Knicks Seemingly Favorites to Sign Donte DiVincenzo

    Knicks Seemingly Favorites to Sign Donte DiVincenzo

    The Knicks may be in the driver’s seat when it comes to landing Warriors point guard Donte DiVincenzo in free agency, per C.J. Holmes of the San Francisco Chronicle.Donte DiVincenzo

    DiVincenzo has been linked to the Knicks by several other outlets as well — with some saying he fully intends to join former Villanova products and fellow guards Josh Hart and Jalen Brunson in New York.

    DiVincenzo declined his player option to become an unrestricted free agent. The Warriors have his Non-Bird Rights, limiting how much they can pay him.

    Meanwhile, the Knicks are able to use the full mid-level exception after Hart opted into his $12.9 million contract. As an aside, Hart is expected to discuss a contract extension with the organization.

    The Knicks are said to be looking to add some perimeter shooting and playmaking, which just happen to be DiVincenzo’s strengths. 

  • Josh Hart Intends to Opt Out of Deal, Hopes for Knicks Return

    Josh Hart Intends to Opt Out of Deal, Hopes for Knicks Return

    Knicks guard/forward Josh Hart intends to opt of out his contract this summer and become an unrestricted free agent, he told Taylor Rooks of Bleacher Report, via Hoops Rumors.Josh Hart

    Hart added that his goal is to re-sign with New York. After being acquired from the Trail Blazers at the February trade deadline, he was among the biggest factors for the Knicks’ second-half rise and first-round playoff win over the Cavaliers.

    At the time, no one considered the Hart move to be much of a splash. It was more like a ripple. But for the Knicks, the deal paid major dividends, as Hart became the perfect fit.

    “We’ll probably decline that (option) and do the free agency thing,” Hart said.

    He will be opting out a deal that is set to pay him $12.9 million next season. By opting out, he is setting himself up for a significant raise.

    Hart came off the bench in all but one of 25 regular-season games with the Knicks, averaging 10.2 points, 7.0 rebounds and 3.6 assists. His stats remained largely the same in 11 playoff games.

    “I love New York. I love the team. I love the coaching staff and the front office that we have. Obviously, that would be an ideal place for me, to just re-sign there,” he told Rooks. “Everything’s perfect off the court and on the court.”

    That said, there is no doubt that rival teams will be in hot pursuit once Hart hits free agency at the end of the month.

  • Knicks Notes: Jalen Brunson, Josh Hart, Julius Randle

    Knicks Notes: Jalen Brunson, Josh Hart, Julius Randle

    Knicks point guard Jalen Brunson took most of the blame for the Game 1 home loss to the Heat on Sunday.Jalen Brunson drives by Jimmy Butler

    “There were key moments in the game where you need to finish strong and be strong, and that starts with me,” Brunson said, via Zach Braziller of the New York Post. “Today I was horrific. Very uncharacteristic of me and this one’s on me. I got to get better.”

    Brunson was often the best player on the floor in the Knicks’ first-round drubbing of the Cavaliers. In order for the Knicks to reclaim home-court advantage and emerge from the East semifinals, he may have to do the same against the Heat.

    Miami is obviously a tougher and more experienced team than the Cavs when it comes to the playoffs, as Braziller noted. So the Knicks will clearly need to adjust to that.

    • No matter, swingman Josh Hart suggested New York remains confident. “None of us are gonna waver. None of us are gonna lose confidence,” Hart said, via Braziller. “Continue to build, be aggressive, take the right shots and hope they go in.”
    • It certainly didn’t help that the Knicks were without power forward Julius Randle, their regular-season leading scorer. His status for Game 2 is TBD. “I don’t know how close [he was to playing],” coach Tom Thibodeau said, via Braziller. “I know he worked out before. I just trust him and the medical staff to make that decision. So plan both ways — a plan with him going and a plan if he didn’t go. So, once they make a decision, that’s it. You live with it and you gotta figure it out. We have more than enough.”
    • The Knicks must respond swiftly in Game 2, also at Madison Square Garden, wrote Mike Vaccaro of the New York Post.

    RELATED | Heat win six of seven for first time this season, steal Game 1

  • Knicks Notes: Obi Toppin, Julius Randle, Jericho Sims

    Knicks Notes: Obi Toppin, Julius Randle, Jericho Sims

    While the status of power forward Julius Randle (sprained ankle) is up in the air for the start of the next series vs. the Heat, the Knicks can feel good about the rise of his replacement.Obi Toppon

    That would be none other than Obi Toppin, who finished strong against the Cavaliers.

    “Obi has played really well the last month, he’s played really well for us,” coach Tom Thibodeau said, via Peter Botte of the New York Post. “And he’s always ready, going in and he just hit big shots, made hustle plays, runs the floor. It gets us energized. And so, we needed that.”

    Toppin had a big third quarter against the Cavs in Game 5, filling in for Randle and keeping the opponent at bay. One of his key plays was a windmill dunk off a feed from wig Josh Hart during a fast break.

    “I feel like my approach is the same every time I enter the game. I feel like I know what I got to do,” Toppin said. “Be aggressive, bring a lot of energy and have fun and definitely play defense. I feel like we all did that today.”

    • Overall, the Knicks’ effort likely “resonates” with the team’s fans, Thibodeau said. “I think the way this team plays, it resonates with all our fans. They play hard, they play smart and they play together. And I think if you do that in New York, it’s always recognized.”
    • Randle’s left ankle sprain isn’t viewed as severe as the one that kept him out at the end of the regular season, per Ian Begley of SNY.tv. We have that full story here.
    • Knicks center Jericho Sims underwent surgery on his injured right shoulder and is expected to miss five months, per Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN. Sims is expected to be ready for training camp in the fall.
  • East Notes: Knicks, Josh Hart, Celtics, Jaylen Brown, Hawks

    East Notes: Knicks, Josh Hart, Celtics, Jaylen Brown, Hawks

    Knicks

    The Knicks have improved to 20-9 since trading for swingman Josh Hart back in February — including their 3-1 playoff series lead over the Cavaliers.

    “It’s just one tough play after the next,” coach Tom Thibodeau said of Hart, via Zach Braziller of the New York Post. “Big shot, big offensive rebounds, great defense. He’s just a winner.”

    • While the Knicks have a significant advantage, guard Jalen Brunson said it’s important that the Knicks stay focused. “It’s not over. Not even close to being over,” Brunson said, via Braziller. “There’s nothing to celebrate, there’s nothing to be truly happy about. Obviously, we won [today], we’re one step closer, but we got to continue to have the same mindset and mentality that we have had the past couple of games.”
    • Guard/forward RJ Barrett added that it’s all been about the Knicks’ effort. “I feel we’re playing extremely hard, making hustle plays,” Barrett said, via Braziller. “The whole team, all the hustle plays we’re making, we’re really together collectively.”

    Celtics

    Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum each scored 31 as the Celtics put the Hawks on the brink of elimination with a 129-121 win on Sunday.

    But perhaps the biggest story was how Brown ditched his protective face mask during the game — scoring 22 points in the second half.

    “After the timeout, we were looking for Jaylen and couldn’t find him because he didn’t have his mask on, and then, I was like, ‘Where’s he at?’” guard Marcus Smart said, via Bobby Krivitsky of Sports Illustrated.

    Brown suggested the mask was starting to serve as a hindrance.

    “Maybe it was all in my head. I just needed something different,” he said, via Krivitsky. “When I took it off, it just gave me the edge I needed.”

    Hawks

    • The NBA is investigating an incident where guard Dejounte Murray appeared to make contact with referee Gediminas Petraitis as Murray walked off the court at the end of the Hawks’ loss to the Celtics, per Tim Bontemps of ESPN.
    • Guard Trae Young told reporter the Hawks could never catch up after the Celtics got going right at the start. “They came out with a sense of urgency, and it showed,” Young said. “They’re a really good team. They’re here for a reason.”
    • Forward John Collins finished with just five points on 1-of-9 shooting in Game 4. The Celtics now have a chance to close out the series at home.