Knicks Guard Josh Hart Shares Humble Response to Late-Game Bench Decision

New York Knicks head coach Mike Brown sat Josh Hart for most of the fourth quarter of Tuesday night’s Game 1 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers, electing to go with sharpshooter Landry Shamet to improve offensive spacing.

The decision paid off in a big way as the Knicks, led by superstar point guard Jalen Brunson, mounted an incredible comeback from 22 points down in the final period. Shamet played a huge role down the stretch, scoring nine points and hitting a game-sealing three pointer in overtime.

Hart was asked about finishing Tuesday night’s game on the bench at Madison Square Garden.

“That’s always difficult, watching it on the bench. Obviously, I want to be out there. I want to help my guys win, but at the end of the day, for me, I don’t have an ego to it. I approach this game with extreme humility. That’s how I approach it,” Hart said.

“I don’t have an ego. I said it last year, the last several years, I’m here to serve these guys,” he continued. “That’s the gift God’s given me to go out and serve these guys, make sure they’re in the best position to be successful. I put the success of the team over the success of myself any day.”

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Hart finished Game 1 with 13 points, seven rebounds and four assists. He recorded a team-worst plus-minus of -23 as he sat for the majority of the Knicks’ furious fourth-quarter comeback. Shamet, his replacement, finished the game with a team-best plus-minus of +25.

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Game 2 will tipoff at 8 p.m. ET on Thursday.

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This story was originally published May 21, 2026 at 9:54 AM.