For the New York Knicks, who remain one of the most valuable teams in the league, the 2025 playoffs weren’t the success they hoped for. While they reached the Eastern Conference Finals, they fell to the surging Indiana Pacers in six games. Their effort wasn’t lacking; it just fell flat.
Perhaps they were a bit gassed because the Pacers love to run the floor. Or they poured all their efforts into their semifinals clash with the mighty Celtics, which left them unprepared for Indiana. Knicks forward Josh Hart, who sustained a finger injury in the postseason, offered another take on why his team fell short in making the NBA Finals.
“I think the only one who should get blamed is me. Had a terrible [conference finals]. I think I played well in Detroit [and] Boston. With Indiana, I just didn’t have nothing left,” Josh Hart admitted in an interview by Stefan Bondy from the New York Post.
After Hart’s injury, there was a noticeable difference in his effort. His numbers went down promptly in the playoffs, especially in their series against Indiana. As New York’s glue guy, the team has relied heavily on Hart to be a difference maker on the court.
Josh Hart Defends The Knicks Against Celtics Legend
Boston Celtics legend Paul Pierce wasn’t impressed when the Knicks beat his former team in the 2025 playoffs. He claimed that Boston ‘choked’ and blew the series. Pierce also claimed that Boston’s defeat in six games had nothing to do with New York’s talent level.
Of course, Josh Hart wasn’t going to let Pierce’s comments pass. He boldly replied that the ‘Knicks are running through Boston.’ Hart’s statement may ring true this season, especially with Boston not expected to make a deep playoff run in 2026 with Jayson Tatum out.
The post Josh Hart Shoulders Full Responsibility For Knicks’ Playoff Collapse Against Pacers originally published on Total Pro Sports.