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Magic Johnson has seen enough. Down 3-1 in the series and teetering on the brink of elimination, the Knicks are staring at their most daunting challenge yet. No team has come back from a 3-1 deficit in the East Finals since 1981. And unless New York figures out its rotation woes fast, history won’t be rewritten.
“A message to the New York Knicks: Go back to what got you to the Eastern Conference Finals — that’s having Josh Hart in the starting lineup,” the Lakers legend posted on X following New York’s 130-121 Game 4 loss to the Indiana Pacers.
The move to bring Mitchell Robinson into the starting five and shift Hart to the bench was made to inject size and rim protection. But it may have disrupted the chemistry that helped the Knicks reach this point.
The new starting lineup — Jalen Brunson, Mikal Bridges, OG Anunoby, Karl-Anthony Towns, and Robinson — posted a brutal -32.9 net rating in Game 4. Meanwhile, the original starting group with Hart instead of Robinson? A +29.8 in nine minutes.
Knicks need to do what they can to stay alive in Eastern Conference Finals
New York has been plagued by inconsistent defensive rotations, unforced turnovers (17 in Game 4), and a Pacers offense that punishes every misstep. Hart himself committed five turnovers in the loss, but the Knicks missed his overall presence in the opening minutes — especially on the boards and defensively.
“We have to be more careful with the ball, starting with myself,” Hart admitted postgame.
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While Haliburton torched the Knicks for 32 points and 15 assists without a single turnover, the Knicks primarily used Hart in a reserve role. He still played 34 minutes, finishing with eight points, 10 boards, and four assists, but his impact as a glue guy feels muted when he’s not alongside the starters from tip-off.
The silver lining? Hart volunteered for the bench role.
“It wasn’t a tough day for me,” Hart said. “I don’t care if I start. I don’t care if I play 20 minutes. If we win, we win.”
That mentality makes Hart a rarity — and perhaps the exact piece the Knicks need to stabilize their lineup again. Coach Tom Thibodeau echoed that, calling Hart “a starter coming off the bench.”
But with their backs against the wall, the Knicks may need to abandon the experiment. Johnson’s message isn’t just about sentiment — it’s rooted in data. The lineup that helped New York survive Boston and Detroit is their best shot to survive Indiana.
Time to go back to what works.
