Knicks’ Josh Hart Tips Cap to Pistons After Game 1 Win vs Celtics

Josh Hart tipped his cap to the Detroit Pistons after taking down the Boston Celtics.

May 1, 2025; Detroit, Michigan, USA; New York Knicks guard Josh Hart (3) is defended by Detroit Pistons center Jalen Duren (0) in the first half during game six of first round for the 2024 NBA Playoffs at Little Caesars Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images | Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images

In their second-round series against the Boston Celtics, Josh Hart and the New York Knicks needed time to adjust after a tough six-game battle against the Detroit Pistons.

Following the Knicks’ Game 6 win over the Pistons, many key members of the New York-based franchise credited the young Detroit team for they way they fought through their first postseason series in years. Following the Knicks’ Game 1 win over the Celtics, Josh Hart tipped his cap to the Pistons again.

“It took us a little while to figure out how this series was going to be,” Hart said of the Knicks-Celtics battle. “

“We got beat with bats for six games. We brought our bats here, and I don’t think it could’ve been as physical. It took us a little while to figure out the game that was going to get called. That’s a part of the playoffs.”

Throughout the 2024-2025 NBA season, the Pistons established an identity of being scrappy, especially when other teams least expected it. It came to a point where the Pistons were thought to be re-capturing their “Bad Boys” era persona.

For the Knicks, they needed to put everything into those six games. Their most comfortable victory came in Game 1, and it required a remarkable second-half comeback from a double-digit deficit.

Aside from that New York win, every other Knicks victory was decided by one possession. A 4-2 victory could’ve gone the other way if just a few sequences had different results.

Ultimately, experience helped the Knicks defeat a Pistons team that was filled with players making their postseason debuts. Now, the Knicks are engaged in a tough challenge going up against the defending NBA Champions.

After one game, the Knicks are out in front with a series lead. They return to the TD Garden court on Wednesday night for the Game 2 matchup.