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New York Knicks star Josh Hart knew the San Antonio Spurs were in trouble long before he stepped on the same court in Game 1 of the NBA Finals.
Hart, 31, said the Spurs’ mistake came during their celebration after winning Game 7 of the Western Conference Finals over the Oklahoma City Thunder. After Spurs eliminated the reigning champions to advance, Victor Wembanyama broke down in tears.
“Everyone talks to them about, ‘Hey, they have to beat OKC. OKC is going to repeat,'” Hart said during a recent episode of “The Roommates Show” with teammate Jalen Brunson taped at Madison Square Garden on Friday.
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New York Knicks forward Josh Hart watches after defeating the Cleveland Cavaliers in game three of the Eastern Conference finals for the 2026 NBA playoffs at Rocket Arena in Cleveland, Ohio, on May 23, 2026. (David Richard/Image Images)
“They beat OKC. For a young team, I feel like that was the top of the mountain for them. That’s when I looked at (Brunson) and thought, ‘See that reaction? Because they think they’re going to win. They think it’s over.'”
Hart compared the Spurs’ jubilation after beating the Thunder to the Knicks’ mentality after sweeping the Cleveland Cavaliers to advance to the franchise’s first NBA Finals since 1999.
“If you look at our reaction after we beat Cleveland, it was hard to celebrate because we were like, ‘We’ve got four more.’ Obviously, winning the Eastern Conference is an amazing accomplishment, but we all look at it like it’s just a step. This isn’t destiny. This is just a step,” Hart said.
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San Antonio Spurs forward Keldon Johnson shoots as New York Knicks guard Josh Hart defends during the second half of Game 4 of the NBA Finals in New York on June 8, 2026. (Al Bello/AP)
“The reaction after Game 4 in Cleveland showed it.”
Hart’s summary turned out to be correct, as the young Spurs blew double-digit leads in their four losses to the Knicks.
The Knicks’ poise and resilience were the team’s defining marks, as three of the five biggest comebacks in NBA Finals history came during this series against the Spurs.
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New York Knicks guard Josh Hart celebrates during the NBA championship parade in New York on June 18, 2026. (Heather Khalifa/AP)
The Knicks players only began celebrating after defeating the Spurs in Game 5, as they constantly stated that their mentality was that the series was “0-0” after each game.
Hart was his usual self in the NBA Finals, playing strong defense while serving as a strong rebounder and facilitator on offense. In the team’s 19 playoff games, Hart averaged 10.4 points, 8.9 rebounds, 4.6 assists and 1.7 steals per game.
