The New York Knicks pulled off a huge win on Saturday night after taking down the Cleveland Cavaliers on their own home floor to escape with a 101-97 win in Game 1 of this opening-round NBA Playoffs matchup. Jalen Brunson had himself another majestic performance in the win, but the Knicks star was more than happy to heap praise on his teammates after their massive win.
When asked to speak out on Josh Hart's contributions off the New York bench, Brunson had nothing but high praise for his former Villanova teammate:
“Big time. That's what he does,” Brunson said of Hart. “Doesn't matter that it's a playoff game or preseason game or pickup. That's how he plays. He's unreal.”
Hart came up big for the Knicks in this one in what was actually the 28-year-old's postseason debut. Hart, who arrived in New York as a mid-season addition from the Portland Trail Blazers, logged a 17-point, 10-rebound double-double in 33 big minutes off the bench.
With less than two minutes remaining and the Cavs in the midst of a whirlwind 9-0 run, Hart drained a clutch triple as the shot clock ran out. This gave the Knicks a four-point lead with the game winding down:
Hart actually injured his ankle in the previous play after landing awkwardly on a rebound attempt. He remained in the game but it looked like he was in some pain. Nevertheless, he drained a huge shot for the Knicks when it mattered most.
Jalen Brunson wasn't bad himself in his first playoff game as a Knick. He led the charge for New York, finishing with a team-high 27 points on 11-of-24 from the field.
Game 2 is on Tuesday and you can be sure that the Cavs will be out for some revenge in that one.
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