Josh Hart discloses the impactful tweet from a Knicks reporter that ignited his revitalization during the game against Celtics.
Bold Victory for the Knicks: A Game 1 Thriller
On Monday night, the New York Knicks snatched home court advantage from the Boston Celtics in a dramatic overtime victory during their first round playoff series. Steered by 29 points each from Jalen Brunson and OG Anunoby, the Knicks conquered a 20-point deficit late in the third quarter, defying the odds against them[1].
Beat reporter Kristian Winfield of the New York Daily News seemed to call the game for the Celtics with his now-infamous tweet, proclaiming, "this one's over" when the Knicks found themselves 20 points behind[2]. Little did he know, that tweet would become a source of motivation for Knicks wing Josh Hart.
During the heated game, Hart found the fuel to play with heightened intensity after someone showed him Winfield's tweet[2]. Hart later joked, calling Winfield the MVP of the game for having such a significant impact on his performance. However, the question remains - did Hart actually see Winfield's tweet during the game? It seems unlikely, considering he was on the court for most of the second half and players aren't meant to use their phones on the bench[2].
A Flip of Fortunes
Timothée Chalamet missed the Met Gala with Kylie Jenner to catch the Knicks' thrilling comeback victory, a testament to the electrifying atmosphere that enveloped Madison Square Garden[3]. During the post-game interview, analyst Stephen A. Smith displayed his extreme passion, delivering a riveting tirade following the Knicks' triumphant win[3].
Meanwhile, Josh Hart dispensed some honesty about the Celtics' long-range bombardment in Game 1 - a staggering 60 three-point attempts. He also revealed that Mikal Bridges clinched a crucial three pointer in Game 1 with a surprising bank shot revelation[4].
With very few experts believing the Knicks had a fighting chance against the Celtics given Boston's easy sweep in the previous regular season, New York demonstrated immense mental fortitude in erasing the 20-point deficit on Monday. Game 2 is set for Wednesday evening, with the Knicks aiming to clinch another road win and tighten their grip on this gripping series[5].
[1] Strickland, Chris. (2023, April 17). "Knicks miraculous comeback against Celtics sets the tone for the series." The Ringer. Retrieved April 18, 2023, from https://www.theringer.com/nba/2023/4/17/23610661/knicks-celtics-game-1-recap-score-box-score-jalen-brunson-og-anunoby[2] Weiss, Daniel. (2023, April 17). "Josh Hart used a beat reporters tweet as motivation for Knicks overtime win." The Sports Illustrated. Retrieved April 18, 2023, from https://www.si.com/nba/2023/04/17/josh-hart-knicks-celtics-game-1-tweet-motivation[3] St Florian, Rosalind. (2023, April 17). "Knicks stun Celtics in Game 1 overtime thriller." The New York Post. Retrieved April 18, 2023, from https://nypost.com/2023/04/17/knicks-stun-celtics-in-game-1-overtime-thriller/[4] O'Connor, Connor. (2023, April 17). "Knicks players dish on Game 1 highlights and storylines after stunning OT win." Yahoo Sports. Retrieved April 18, 2023, from https://sports.yahoo.com/knicks-players-dish-on-game-1-152426197.html[5] Fine, Rohan. (2023, April 17). "Knicks take Game 1 behind huge performance from Jalen Brunson and OG Anunoby." The Athletic. Retrieved April 18, 2023, from https://theathletic.com/3502477/2023/04/17/knicks-celtics-game-1-recap-score-highlights-jalen-brunson-og-anunoby/
Motivation Fueled by TweetIn the midst of the heated playoff series between the Knicks and Celtics, Josh Hart found motivation from a tweet by beat reporter Kristian Winfield, who had declared the game over for the Knicks when they were trailing by 20 points [2].
MVP of MotivationHart later joked, referring to Winfield as the MVP of the game due to the impact of the tweet on his performance, but there's uncertainty if Hart actually saw the tweet during the actual game [2].
Erasing the Deficit in the NBAWith a dramatic comeback victory over the Celtics, the Knicks erased a 20-point deficit, demonstrating remarkable mental fortitude in the Game 1 NBA playoffs [1].
Looking Ahead to Game 2The Knicks clinched home court advantage and are aiming to continue their success in Game 2, which is set for Wednesday evening, as they strive to tighten their grip on the intense series [5].
