Josh Hart Says Knicks Benching Was 'Kind of My Decision' and People Asked if He Was OK

Friends and acquaintances of New York Knicks guard Josh Hart were more perturbed to see him benched for Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Finals than he was.

"It's funny because people were texting me all day, asking if I'm OK," Hart told reporters after Sunday's 106-100 victory over the Indiana Pacers. "It's like, I don't care if I start. I don't care if I play 20 minutes. If we win, we win."

He also described the call as "kind of my decision."

Hart elaborated on how his individual designation is irrelevant in the pursuit of collective success.

"Whoever won the championship five years ago, you have no idea who the starters are," he said, per The Athletic's Fred Katz. "You know that those guys won and they have that camaraderie and that connection for life.

"It doesn't matter how many points you score. It doesn't matter how many minutes you play. It doesn't matter if you start. It depends on if you win. And at the end of the day, that's the most important thing for me."

Head coach Tom Thibodeau shifted center Mitchell Robinson into the starting lineup for Game 3 with the Knicks trailing 2-0 in the series. It was a minor alteration with big symbolic significance when considering how frequently Thibodeau leaned on a starting five of Hart, Jalen Brunson, Karl-Anthony Towns, Mikal Bridges and OG Anunoby.

The demotion didn't ultimately diminish Hart's role. He played 34 minutes, which weren't much less than the 36.9 per game he was averaging prior to Sunday. He was on the floor for the entire fourth quarter as well, with Robinson getting just 36 seconds.

Thibodeau and Hart clearly thought they needed to open with a new plan of attack against Indiana. When it mattered the most, though, Thibs largely leaned on the group he has trusted most all year.

For Hart, getting benched is a lot easier when your role largely stays the same.