Hart knows what the Knicks are capable of.
The New York Knicks beat the Atlanta Hawks 140-89 in Game 6 on Thursday night to close out their first-round series, and it was the largest playoff win in franchise history.
A 47-point halftime lead, the biggest in NBA postseason history.
A 61-point advantage at one point in the third quarter, all 15 players scored, and it stopped feeling like a basketball game early in the second quarter and never went back.
Josh Hart put up 14 points, five rebounds and two assists in 27 minutes while dealing with a back contusion that nearly kept him out entirely.
After the blowout, somebody asked Hart what a performance like that does for the team's confidence going into the second round.
"I don't think it boosts our confidence," Hart said. "It just reinforces the kind of team that we have and the players that we have and the coaches that we have."
Hart's Hustle Helped Shift the Series
That is where Hart's head is at right now.
Not celebrating one game, even one that was historically lopsided.
His series averages weren't crazy either, with 9.4 points, 10.0 rebounds, 4.8 assists, and 1.6 steals, but they don't reflect what he actually meant to this team.
His shot wasn't falling for most of the series, yet the Knicks leaned on his rebounding and defense more than almost anyone else on the roster.
He's the one who went to the coaching staff and asked to guard CJ McCollum after McCollum carved them up in the first two games.
The Knicks won four straight after that.
During the regular season, Hart averaged 12.1 points, 7.4 rebounds and 4.8 assists for a 53-29 Knicks team that finished third in the East.
He shot 51 percent from the field and 41.5 percent from three, and the league recognized his effort with a top-five finish in the Hustle Award voting.
None of that surprises anyone who watches him play.
What the Knicks Have Waiting for Them
OG Anunoby was borderline untouchable Thursday, going 11-for-14 for 29 points with four steals in 27 minutes.
Karl-Anthony Towns grabbed his second triple-double of the series with 12 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists. Mikal Bridges had 24 on 10-of-12 shooting.
Jalen Brunson scored 17 without having to force anything.
Hart's point about reinforcement makes a lot more sense when the whole roster looks like that.
The Celtics and 76ers play Game 7 on Saturday, and whoever walks out of that one is going to be worn down.
Jayson Tatum was dealing with a calf issue in Game 6, and Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey have been logging heavy minutes for Philadelphia.
The Knicks get to rest while their next opponent grinds through a winner-take-all game on the road or at home.
Hart is going to be ready whenever the second round starts.
That much has never been in question.