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Yahoo
5 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Knicks vs. Pacers: Josh Hart went to Tom Thibodeau about coming off the bench in Game 3, then came up big in win
INDIANAPOLIS — On Sunday night, for the first time in 485 days, Josh Hart came off the bench for the New York Knicks, ceding his spot in the starting lineup to center Mitchell Robinson in a move aimed at providing a shock to the system of a lineup that's gone stagnant over the past several months. It wouldn't be unheard of for the change to rankle Hart. After all, he'd just turned in the best season of his eight-year career, averaging 13.6 points on 52.5% shooting to go with 9.6 rebounds, 5.9 assists and 1.5 steals in a league-leading 37.6 minutes per game. He'd established himself as a vital two-way piece of a Knicks team that advanced to the Eastern Conference finals for the first time in 25 years, shooting 41.3% from 3-point range and playing a huge role in closing out both the Pistons in Round 1 and the favored Celtics in Round 2. Advertisement Players stamped as that consequential don't typically get sent to the second unit … unless, of course, they volunteer to go there. 'I mean, it was never going to be a tough day for me,' Hart said after New York's latest breathtaking comeback of these playoffs, a 106-100 victory over the Indiana Pacers in Game 3 of the 2025 Eastern Conference finals. 'Because I had a hand in that decision.' Seated at his locker after the win, which saw the Knicks erase a 20-point first-half deficit and race past the hosts with a roaring 36-20 fourth quarter, Hart explained that he'd met with Tom Thibodeau and expressed that he was comfortable with coming off the bench to make space for Robinson — a continuation of a dialogue that Hart said started against Boston. Advertisement 'This was a conversation that I've had before,' Hart said. 'I actually had a conversation … before Game 6 [against the Celtics], when I was struggling with the matchup of Luke Kornet.' After strong performances in New York's thrilling wins in Games 1 and 2 in Boston, Hart went just 5-for-16 from the field over the next two games, having a difficult time getting untracked while being cross-matched against the 7-foot Kornet, forever sagging off of him to pack the paint and stifle other Knicks' scoring efforts. And while Hart scored a postseason-high 24 points in Game 5, making five of his nine 3-point attempts, the Celtics outscored New York by 24 points in his 36 minutes — a blinking-red-lights indication that the time might be ripe for a change. Josh Hart didn't start Game 3, but finished it with big plays down the stretch. (Photo by) (Gregory Shamus via Getty Images) 'I wasn't able to really figure that out,' Hart said. 'And Game 6, I had a pretty good game, but it's something that I've had in the back of my mind, and I've always been willing to do.' Advertisement Hart had a rough Game 2, scoring six points on three shot attempts with just one assist in 28 ineffectual minutes during which he failed to make Pacers defenders Andrew Nembhard and Tyrese Haliburton pay for aggressively helping off of him to muck up New York's half-court offense elsewhere. Robinson, on the other hand, continued to make a massive impact on the interior in Game 2, grabbing nine rebounds (four offensive) and blocking three shots in 29 minutes — during which the Knicks outscored the Pacers by six points. 'You know, down two [games to none], especially with how Mitch played last game, it was just … you know, that's something that we had to do,' Hart said. 'And obviously, that's a group decision that really boils down to Thibs and myself.' 'Yeah, he wants to win,' said Knicks captain and longtime Hart pal Jalen Brunson. 'This just shows who he is — as a person, as a player, as a teammate. He doesn't care for anything individual. He just wants to win. It's a true testament of a great teammate.' Advertisement Thibodeau praised Hart for his willingness to sacrifice what some other players — maybe a lot of other players — might see as the status and prestige that comes with starting, in pursuit of an edge to help the team win. 'The thing I love about Josh is the unselfishness,' Thibodeau said. 'Like, you're concerned, because you're not only impacting him, but you're impacting other guys in the starting lineup, so you've got to make sure that that's all good. And then you're also impacting the second unit in a different way, so then you've got to figure out, 'OK, how can we put this all together where we can make it work?'' The rotational shuffle extended far beyond swapping Robinson in for Hart: It also included elevating little-used guards Delon Wright and Landry Shamet over the scuffling Cameron Payne, hoping that putting more size and defensive acumen on the court might help slow down a Pacers offense that had been humming. Those bets paid off handsomely: Wright made several good hustle plays, Shamet made a corner 3 and dished a pair of assists to help the Knicks stay within hailing distance amid their first-half woes, and both contributed to a second-half defensive effort that saw New York limit the Pacers to just 42 points on 14-for-38 shooting (36.8%) in the third and fourth quarters. Advertisement Hart played a significant role in that effort, too. He helped crank up the communication and precision of New York's switches and rotations, and came up with a number of big plays, including a pair of huge defensive rebounds in the final minute and a half to prevent Indiana from getting a second chance to cut into the Knicks' lead: Hart played the entire fourth quarter, finishing with 8 points, 10 rebounds, 4 assists and 1 steal in 34 minutes off the bench. Robinson, for his part, finished with 6 points, 6 rebounds (3 offensive), 1 assist, 1 steal and 1 block in 29 minutes. '[The lineup switch] really didn't impact either guy from a minutes standpoint,' Thibodeau said. 'To me, when Mitch was coming off the bench, he's a starter coming off the bench. When Josh comes off the bench, he's a starter coming off the bench. Their minutes are going to be the same, and both guys mix and match, both guys are comfortable with both units.' Advertisement And because Hart's comfortable with the second unit, sliding him out of the first five was never uncomfortable in the first place. 'For me, it wasn't a tough day,' Hart said. 'It was funny, because everyone was saying something to me, or guys would text me on other teams and all that, and I'm like, 'Bruh, I don't care.' I don't care if I start. I don't care if I play 20 minutes. If we win, we win. ... 'You know, whoever won the championship five years ago, you can't really — you have no idea who the starters are,' he continued. 'You know that those guys won. And they have that camaraderie and that connection for life. It doesn't matter how many points you score, doesn't matter how many minutes you play, doesn't matter if you started or not. It depends on if you win. And at the end of the day, that's the most important thing for me.'
Yahoo
6 hours ago
- General
- Yahoo
Knicks' season on the brink after defensive disaster in Game 4 loss to Pacers
INDIANAPOLIS — The perimeter was wide open. The paint was even less congested. There was zero resistance. Defense? Not from the Knicks. Not Tuesday night. Jalen Brunson of the New York Knicks goes up for a shot as Aaron Nesmith of the Indiana Pacers defends on May 27, 2025. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post This more closely resembled the Mike D'Antoni Knicks than the Tom Thibodeau version. Advertisement The team that likes to say it is at its best when its best is needed failed to bring the required desperation. The Pacers acted like the ones who were trying to avoid a 3-1 series deficit. Tyrese Haliburton torched the Knicks and so did his teammates in a 130-121 shellacking in Game 4 that moved Indiana to within one game of the NBA Finals. 'We didn't match their pace and their inspiration, too,' Karl-Anthony Towns said. 'We just didn't match what they came to do tonight to start the game and in true fashion to our whole playoff run we put ourselves in a deficit, got ourselves out of the deficit and usually we feel good about us in a close game going into the fourth quarter and showing our resilience. But you get burned if you put yourself in that position too many times.' Mikal Bridges and the Knicks had a Game 4 to forget. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post The new starting lineup couldn't get stops. Neither could the reserves. Another miracle comeback wasn't in the cards, not with the Knicks committing 17 turnovers — five by Josh Hart — that led to 20 Pacer points. Advertisement Mikal Bridges was a no-show until it was too late. Josh Hart reacts after he was called for a foul in the fourth quarter. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post Jalen Brunson and Towns combined for 55 points, but both were turnstiles defensively. OG Anunoby didn't make enough of a difference. CHECK OUT THE LATEST NBA STANDINGS AND KNICKS STATS '[They] just played harder than us,' Bridges said. 'I didn't play my best game. On both ends, let my team down a little bit. … They came out with more fire.' Led by Haliburton's 32 points, 15 assists and 12 rebounds, the Pacers shot 51.1 percent from the field. They piled up 50 points in the paint. Tyrese Haliburton #0 of the Indiana Pacers puts up a shot as Mitchell Robinson #23 of the New York Knicks jumps to defend. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post They had 22 points in transition. The Knicks had no answers. Trailing by 15 early in the fourth quarter, the Knicks made it a game late, getting within six on multiple occasions. Follow The Post's coverage of the Knicks in the 2025 NBA Playoffs Advertisement Sports+ subscribers: Sign up for Inside the Knicks to get daily newsletter coverage and join Expert Take for insider texts about the series. Mitchell Robinson #23 of the New York Knicks slams the ball during the third quarter. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post But the key to any successful comeback, getting stops, was nowhere to be found. With 46.3 seconds to go, Obi Toppin, the former Knick, iced it with Indiana's 13th and final 3-pointer, yet another shot when a Knick wasn't close to a Pacer. 'They played with more intensity,' Mitchell Robinson said. 'We should've matched it.' Now, the Knicks need to reel off three straight wins to advance against a team that hasn't lost two in a row the entire postseason. The odds are long, especially with how Thibodeau's team has defended in this series. Pascal Siakam #43 of the Indiana Pacers puts up a shot over OG Anunoby of the New York Knicks. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post Game 5 is Thursday night at the Garden, where the Knicks are an underwhelming 3-5 in the playoffs. It will be their first game facing elimination of the postseason. Advertisement It was a defense-optional start for the Knicks, who allowed more points in the first quarter (43) than the entire second half on Sunday (42). Haliburton crushed them in the opening quarter with 15 points and six assists, and the Pacers made 15-of-22 shots from the field. 'Communication, that was the biggest thing,' Robinson said. 'It started with me. I wasn't talking first, and I'm the anchor of the defense. I'm not talking, nobody is.' Indiana Pacers forward Obi Toppin reacts in front of New York Knicks forward OG Anunoby after hitting a 3-point shot late in the 4th quarter. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post It was a preview of the rest of the evening. Whenever it looked like the Knicks were getting it together, a turnover or a defensive lapse followed. They led by one late in the first half, then proceeded to allow 13 straight points, as the Pacers built a 12-point lead. Advertisement The Knicks never got closer than five the rest of the way. Their inability to string together stops wouldn't allow it. 'We gotta make sure we play with the proper approach and intensity and force and be connected,' Thibodeau said. Obi Toppin of the Indiana Pacers reacts after he hits a 3-point shot as OG Anunoby of the New York Knicks is too late to defend during the fourth quarter. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post The Knicks didn't have that in Game 4. Now, their margin for error is gone. It's win Thursday night at the Garden or go home until next season.
Forbes
15 hours ago
- Business
- Forbes
Indianapolis 500 Final Results: The Good And The Bad For Roger Penske
The good: The 2025 Indianapolis 500 had an average viewership on Fox Sports of 7.05 million on May 25. That was the highest television ratings for the event since 2008 and up from 5.02 million in 2024, the last time NBC televised the race. It was also better that the almost 6.8 million viewers for the Daytona 500 in February, NASCAR's biggest race, also televised by Fox. Since the mid-1990s, NASCAR has dominated IndyCar racing in the United States. In the 1990s, IndyCar was split between competing series. NASCAR zoomed by. This year, on television at least, IndyCar took the lead. The bad: The Indy 500 had some embarrassments. Two cars owned by Penske, who also owns the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and the IndyCar Series, were forced to start from the back of the race. That was because of a cheating scandal. On top of that, Marcus Ericsson, who finished second in the Indy 500, was penalized for a rules violation and officially came in 31st out of 33 cars. For Roger Penske, 88, it was at best a mixed bag. Penske has used racing to promote his transportation businesses. He's won a lot at the Indianapolis 500 races as a team owner (20, actually) and has also been a winner in NASCAR. Penske promotes a winning image, with professionalism and preparation. He owns major auto dealerships and a truck rental business. But this year, he fired three leading members of his IndyCar racing teams after the Indianapolis racing scandal. Professionalism and preparation seemed to be a thing of the past. The businessman, in a Fox Sports interview with Jamie Little, said changes may take place in IndyCar, such as a more independent body to oversee the Indy series. That remains to be seen. The IndyCar series this week moves on from Indy to a Detroit event. For now, the Indianapolis 500 is, more or less, at a high. IndyCar faces other issues. Does the series have a succession plan? Nobody outside of the series, or Penske, really knows. One addition for IndyCar in 2026 is the IndyCar Grand Prix of Arlington, where Penske is joining forces with Dallas Cowboys owner, Jerry Jones, 82. Then again, Penske has gotten used to working with aging business moguls. Fox Sports is controlled by Rupert Murdoch, 94.
Daily Mail
16 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Rock legend John Mellencamp throws shade at Pat McAfee for Pacers-Knicks comments
Pat McAfee has been called out by music legend John Mellencamp after he branded Ben Stiller and other visiting Knicks fans 'sons of b****es'. Stiller, filmmaker Spike Lee and actor Timothee Chalamet were among the celebrities who travelled to Indianapolis for Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals against the Indiana Pacers. Former NFL star-turned-WWE and ESPN personality McAfee took to the microphone at Gainbridge Fieldhouse to give their rival fans a brutal welcome. 'Indianapolis, Indiana. We've got some big wigs from the big city in the building!' McAfee said. He then called out Lee, Stiller, and Chalamet before shouting: 'Let's send these sons of b****es back to New York with their ears ringing.' The clip quickly went viral but it didn't go down well with all of McAfee's fellow Pacers fans. Rock star Mellencamp, 73, was also among the crowd at Gainbridge Fieldhouse and, ahead of Game 5 at Madison Square Garden on Thursday, he apologized for McAfee's 'embarrassing' behavior. 'The Knicks/Pacers games have been very entertaining for anyone who like s basketball or sports. I attended Game 4 in Indianapolis,' Mellencamp said in a statement. '"Hoosier Hospitality".. I was embarrassed when somebody, under whose direction I don't know, called out some of the people who had made the trip from New York to support their team - and in turn, support our team. 'The audience booed these people. I'd say that was not Hoosier Hospitality. One could only say it's poor, poor sportsmanship. I was not proud to be a Hoosier, and I've lived here my entire life. 'On behalf of most Hoosiers, I would like to apologize for our poor behavior. I'm sure the Pacers had nothing to do with this smackdown.' McAfee, a former NFL punter for the Indianapolis Colts, was at the game alongside his boss at WWE, Paul 'Triple H' Levesque. He will not be at MSG for Game 5 but McAfee did respond to Mellencamp on social media. 'I am 'somebody',' he wrote alongside the musician's statement.
Fox News
21 hours ago
- General
- Fox News
Colts great Reggie Wayne fights back tears while remembering late owner Jim Irsay: 'He had the biggest heart'
Indianapolis Colts great and current wide receivers coach Reggie Wayne fought back tears during the team's first media availability on Wednesday following the death of longtime owner Jim Irsay. It was an emotional moment for Wayne, a six-time Pro Bowler and a member of the Colts' Super Bowl XLI winning team, as he spoke about his relationship with Irsay, who passed away in his sleep last week at age 65. "It's like losing a family member. There were times that I felt like [Irsay] treated me like I was one of his sons even though he didn't have any," Wayne managed a smile as he spoke to reporters. "When you lose something like that, it definitely shocks the soul." Irsay famously began his football career as a ball boy when his father first purchased the team in 1972 – when the Colts still played in Baltimore. He slowly moved up the ranks and became the youngest team owner at 37 when he took over for his father following his death in 1997. "He had the biggest heart in the city. I think we all know how caring he was, how easy he was as far as giving… I think he was definitely the heart of this city," Wayne continued. Wayne played his entire 14-year career with the Colts after being drafted out of the University of Miami with the 30th overall pick in 2001. He led the league in receiving yards in 2007, was three-time All-Pro and ranks second in franchise history for most receiving records behind Marvin Harrison. He returned to the Colts in 2022 as an assistant coach. While reminiscing about his time with Irsay, Wayne struggled to explain the message he shared with receivers after learning about Irsay's passing. "I told the receivers, I said, 'A lot of y'all don't really know him but he would've done anything for anybody. He would've gave the clothes off his back," he said tearfully. "He cared about his players. He cared about his team. He cared about the city. And it wasn't just the players, he cared about the people in the building. He was that dude. And I told them, I said straight up 'Man, y'all don't really know him but y'all got to push your ass for him. Because he would've done that for y'all. So, that's what I told them. I said, 'Y'all got homework to do, man. Read about him. Learn about him. So that you really know the type of person he was.'" Irsay battled health and addiction issues in his life. Despite his struggles, he restored glory to the franchise and left an everlasting impact on the organization. Follow Fox News Digital's sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
