Josh Hart probably won’t be very popular at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
The outspoken Knicks forward railed on Indiana as an NBA city during a months-old podcast episode that resurfaced after the Knicks clinched a second-round series against the Pacers.
“If I don’t have to play the Indiana Pacers, I’m not stepping foot in that state,” Hart said in February on his “Roommates Show” with Jalen Brunson. “I don’t want to be in Indiana for any All-Star break, for anything. I am not an Indiana guy.”
Hart, who isn’t shy about ribbing, said he found two solid food options in the Midwest city, and neither was St. Elmo’s Steakhouse.
“I will say they do got a White Castle there. I love White Castle. It’s the only solid thing about Indiana,” Hart said. “And Long’s Bakery. Fire donuts. If not for those two things, psshh. Long’s Bakery? Donuts are top tier. Indiana? Bottom of the barrel.”
Game 3 is at Indianapolis on May 10. Games 1 (Monday) and 2 (Wednesday) are at MSG.
Was Brunson getting away with an illegal foul-hunting maneuver?
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That was the suggestion from Trae Young’s father, Rayford, who tweeted during Thursday’s Knicks-76ers game, “I thought the NBA banned that move Brunson is doing stopping in front of the defender. ‘They’ said my son was cheating the game. [Chris Paul] was the 1st to perfect it. I’m glad that Brunson is bringing it back. Small guards have to be crafty.”
Rayford was referencing the tactic of stopping during a drive to let the trailing defender run into him for a foul.
Trae made it a staple of his game — including during the 2021 playoff series to beat the Knicks — but the NBA announced the following summer it wanted referees to weed out the fouls on “non-basketball moves.”
Brunson took 16 foul shots in Thursday’s win in Philadelphia. He attempted 63 in the six-game series, while Joel Embiid led the Sixers with 78.