When the Knicks faced the 76ers in the playoffs two years ago, Josh Hart was a pivotal factor in the series.
In large stretches, Philadelphia used Joel Embiid on Hart, daring him to shoot from the perimeter, and Hart shot a robust 43.6 percent from distance on 6.2 attempts per game.
He would welcome that same plan from the 76ers.
“Each series is different. Atlanta, I don’t think there were many catch-and-shoot opportunities,” Hart said Sunday on the eve of Game 1 of the Eastern Conference semifinal series between the Knicks and 76ers. “Most of my 3s were off the bounce or within the last five seconds of the shot clock. [In this series], it’s going to be a completely opposite story. If it’s similar to what it was in the past, I’ll probably have as many catch-and-shoot opportunities as I want. I got to go out there, shoot the ball with confidence. I’m a good shooter, I know I’m a good shooter. I trust my work.
“Do that, and then when I’m not taking those shots, screening off-ball, screening on-ball, holding my screens, and just being decisive.”
The 6-foot-5 Hart shot only 21.7 percent from deep in the Hawks series, although he did make 41.3 percent of his 3s during the regular season on 3.7 attempts per game.
Odds are, the 76ers are going to challenge him to make them pay by playing off him like they did two years ago.
The 76ers feature some local connections.
Reserve guard Quentin Grimes was drafted by the Knicks and played parts of three seasons for them before being dealt to the Pistons in February 2024 for veterans Bojan Bogdanovic and Alec Burks.
Rookie VJ Edgecombe spent two years at Long Island Lutheran before one season at Baylor.
In the series win over the Celtics, the 6-4 guard from the Bahamas averaged 15.1 points, 6.9 rebounds and three assists.
Philadelphia also includes assistant coach Rico Hines, who was a St. John’s assistant under Steve Lavin from 2010 to 2015.
