Josh Hart Clarifies Support for Knicks' Rival

New York Knicks star Josh Hart requested that critics lead him out of the "desire to belittle Jayson Tatum" narrative.

Feb 27, 2023; New York, New York, USA; New York Knicks guard Josh Hart (3) drives to the basket against Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum (0) during the third quarter at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports / Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

With his playoff trek over, Josh Hart is apparently looking to jump into the analysis game ... but don't expect the New York Knicks star to appear on ESPN anytime soon.

Hart took issue with the way his analysis of the Eastern Conference champion Boston Celtics was covered by ESPN. The saga began when Hart opened the week on Ryan Clark's "Pivot Podcast," where he claimed that Derrick White the Celtics' success hinged more on the antics of Derrick White rather than franchise face Jayson Tatum.

"Look at every main play in the last six minutes of the fourth to overtime, every big play, he made,"Hart declared of White, who sank the game-winning triple that gave the Celtics entry into the NBA Finals. "He's probably one of the most impactful players because he does just everything on the court, and does everything at a very high level."

Feb 24, 2024; New York, New York, USA; Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum (0) controls the ball against New York Knicks guard Josh Hart (3) during the first quarter at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports / Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

Hart, however, wasn't pleased when ESPN's morning program "Get Up!" cited him as an example in the supposed "desire to diminish Jayson Tatum." Playoff time has been a bittersweet point on the calendar for Tatum, whose long list of professional accolades currently fails to feature a championship ring, leading to touchy narratives about his legacy and place among the Association's active elite.

The metropolitan workhorse demanded that ESPN keep him out of any attempt to belittle Tatum, even if he believes that Celtics' championship fortunes rely heavier on White.

“Yall realize saying something is more impactful isn’t belittling the other guy right?” Hart said in an X post quote the "Get Up!" segment in question. “Leave me out this ‘desire to belittle JT’ narrative.”

Tatum will have a chance to flip any lingering narratives about his championship panache next week: the Celtics will tip off the NBA Finals on Thursday night in Beantown against the Dallas Mavericks (8:30 p.m. ET, ABC).

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