Jalen Brunson Comically Summed Up How Josh Hart Helped Spark Knicks’ 20-Point Comeback

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The New York Knicks' miraculous 20-point comeback which resulted in a 108-105 overtime win over the Boston Celtics to take Game 1 was a team effort. It was Jalen Brunson knocking down back-to-back threes in the final minutes of regulation to give the Knicks the lead. It was Mikal Bridges, who made clutch plays on both ends of the floor to help secure the victory in overtime.
And certainly, it was Josh Hart, the Knicks' do-it-all wing whose energy and effort never wanes on the court. Brunson was sure to credit that effort which helped the Knicks erase a 20-point third-quarter deficit to win Game 1 on the road. He couldn't help but laugh at how he described Hart's game and how it impacts winning.
"That’s just who he is," Brunson said of Hart after the Knicks' Game 1 win in Boston. "He’s going to find a way to... run around and do things. The way he brings energy night in and night out, it’s contagious. When he does that, I think he helps us become a better team. We feed off his energy. It propelled us to come back from down 20."
"That's just who he is. He's going to find a way to run around and do things. The way he energy night in and night out, it's contagious."
— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) May 6, 2025
Jalen Brunson talks about the Knicks feeding off Josh Hart's energy: pic.twitter.com/B6n5YizMd5
Although "running around and doing things" doesn't sound like a great way to describe a basketball player, it accurately describes Hart. He's always flying in for an offensive rebound and rotating to force a steal or a tough look—putting it all on the floor.
Brunson and Hart were college teammates, and are cohosts of the "Roommates Show" podcast and of course, good friends. After Game 1 Monday, Hart even joked that Brunson should have won the game in regulation after he had a great look for a final shot, but it rimmed out.
Hart finished Game 1 with a 14-point, 11-rebound double-double in a whopping 45 minutes of play. He also added three assists and two steals. When the Knicks need him most, he'll always be there—doing something.
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Blake Silverman is a writer at Sports Illustrated, primarily covering the NBA and WNBA. Before joining SI in November 2024 as a breaking/trending news writer, he covered the WNBA, NBA, G League and college basketball for numerous sites, including Winsidr, SB Nation and A10Talk. He’s an alum of both Michigan State and St. Bonaventure University, receiving a master’s degree from the Bonnies’ sports journalism program. Outside of work, he’s a husband, father, yogi and fairly mediocre tennis player who’s open to any tips on how to play defense in EA Sports College Football.