Describing T.J. McConnell, Josh Hart called the Pacers guard an “annoying little s–t.” And from Hart, that’s damn high praise.
Hart is the Knicks’ resident irritant.
And as they prepare to tip off the Eastern Conference semis Monday against Indiana, he looks across the court and sees a kindred spirit in noted Knicks-killer McConnell.
“T.J. McConnell is an annoying little s–t that just runs around, causes chaos, picks up 94 feet, someone that plays the game of basketball extremely at a high level, competitive as hell,” Hart said. “So we know once Tyrese [Haliburton] goes [to the bench], it’s not like we can sit there and relax. You’ve got someone in T.J. who could be a starting point guard for any other team in this league.”
Hart is acutely aware that the Pacers fans are likely saying the same about him — or worse.
“Oh, probably. Probably,” Hart laughed. “T.J. is one of my favorite people in the league just in terms of how he is as a person.”
The diminutive McConnell had 20 points off the bench in the Pacers’ closeout win over Milwaukee. He shot 7-for-9 from the floor, handed out nine assists and notched four steals to lead the way into the second round.
“T.J. plays with an infectious spirit that I think is unmatched,” said Indiana’s Myles Turner. “Not a lot of teams have a guy like him.”
But the Knicks do, in fellow pest Hart.
Follow The Post’s coverage of the Knicks in the NBA playoffs
- Knicks’ Game 7 pressure even greater with no guarantee of return
- Knicks get surprise OG Anunoby injury update ahead of Game 7
- Josh Hart’s Knicks status for Game 7 murky as he battles abdominal strain
- Knicks have Game 7 Garden history on their side going into win-or-go-home Pacers matchup
“Exactly: And that’s why I love him. He’s someone who is doubted, he doesn’t pass the eye test, he’s someone who’s extremely gritty, he’s someone who can go out there and get you 20, nine assists, six rebounds and four steals and pick up 94 feet. So that’s definitely — we have a lot of comparisons obviously,” Hart said, before some on-brand trolling of McConnell.
“[I’m] a little taller, more handsome, better taste in wine, probably golf better. And T.J. we’re not doing the wine trade during the playoffs. Normally when I go to his city, he’ll give me a bottle of wine and when he comes here I’ll give him a bottle of wine. But no wine trades please.”
McConnell has been a thorn in the Knicks’ collective sides, shooting 10-for-13 against them this season.
He had 16 points on 8-for-10 from the floor in Indiana’s Feb. 10 win, and played key minutes off the bench in their Dec. 30 victory.
The scrappy 6-foot guard missed their only loss to New York.
“T.J. is just the epitome of what it means to be the undersized guy and make a huge difference. He doesn’t play his height,” Turner said. “A lot of kids, especially back home, can watch a guy like T.J. play and see hope. Not everybody is going to be 6-11 or 7-foot tall. But you can work on our intangibles and your game. He’s a perfect example of that.”