Hart knows the Knicks can't take their foot off the pedal.
The New York Knicks took Game 1 from the Atlanta Hawks on Saturday night, winning 113-102 at Madison Square Garden to grab a 1-0 lead in their first-round playoff series.
The third-seeded Knicks needed a strong start after finishing the regular season at 53-29, and they got one, but forward Josh Hart isn't letting the team get comfortable with just a good performance.
At practice following the win, Hart talked about where the Knicks can tighten things up defensively heading into Game 2 on Monday night, and his focus was on one thing above everything else.
Hart Calls for Sharper Guard Defense
"I think we're pretty good. I think we can get better on our communication especially on guards," Hart said. "For the first game, it was okay, but we have to be better. ... We have to be better [on] who makes it even better offense, or for sure thing, you can clean it. Like I said, that communication of those smalls and not allowing them to get [open shots]."
That mindset is what separates a good playoff team from a great one.
Even after holding the Hawks to 102 points and building a lead as large as 19, Hart zeroed in on the defensive lapses rather than celebrating the final score.
Atlanta's guards, including Nickeil Alexander-Walker and CJ McCollum, were able to find pockets of space at times throughout the game, and the late 10-0 Hawks run showed how quickly things can shift when communication breaks down even slightly.
Hart's Game 1 Impact
Hart did his part on both ends of the floor in Game 1, finishing with 11 points, 14 rebounds, five assists and three steals.
The 14 boards were his most since late December and gave him his first double-double in 13 games, and that's exactly the effort the Knicks needed from their do-everything wing entering the postseason.
While Jalen Brunson carried the scoring load with 28 points and Karl-Anthony Towns added 25, Hart's contributions on the glass and as a connector helped the Knicks control the game for long stretches.
What Needs to Change for Game 2
The Knicks won by 11, but it felt closer than that after the Hawks surged late.
New York's bench was a bright spot with Jordan Clarkson and Mitchell Robinson providing energy, though the starting group will need to stay locked in defensively to avoid giving the sixth-seeded Hawks (46-36) any confidence heading back to Atlanta for Games 3 and 4.
Hart's focus on guarding the perimeter and communicating switches reflects a team that knows a Game 1 win doesn't guarantee anything.
If the Knicks can clean up those defensive miscues on the ball screens and stay connected when Atlanta tries to hunt mismatches, they should be in good shape to take a 2-0 lead before the series shifts south.
But as Hart pointed out, that starts with talking.