Knicks, Josh Hart know Celtics and Jayson Tatum have score to settle

BOSTON — It was less than a week ago that the Knicks dismissed the Celtics in convincing fashion, and the final, enduring image might have been Josh Hart joining the referees in excitedly signaling for the ejection of Jayson Tatum.

The Celtics star was tossed after receiving his second technical foul with 3:46 to play, putting an end to a frustrating game. The Knicks, mostly Hart and Quentin Grimes, hounded him and harassed him into a 6-for-18 night, including 1-for-9 from beyond the arc, and only 14 points.

As they readied for Sunday night’s rematch, the Knicks were certain that they would get a different Boston performance. It wasn’t just Tatum who would be looking for payback but the Celtics overall. They were without Jaylen Brown in their 109-94 loss on Feb. 27 at the Garden, and with both of them back after an important win over Cleveland, Boston squandered a 28-point lead and lost to the Nets on Friday.

The Knicks, entering the night with the longest winning streak in the NBA — eight straight — were careful to show respect for the defending Eastern Conference champions and, in particular, for Tatum. Their task was made more difficult Sunday because they had to face the Celtics without Jalen Brunson, who missed the game with a sore left foot.

“Shoot, I didn’t do nothing,” Hart said of his defense on Tatum. “I just played defense. Got to know there’s games where you play well defensively and guys make shots. And then there are times when he misses shots. I think what we did possibly frustrated him, but he’s a good player and felt like he missed some shots he should’ve made, and that’s the difference between scoring 30 and 13. He’s going to be aggressive tonight, as we know. And we got to make sure we contain it.”

As far as his gestures sending Tatum off, Hart insisted it was just in fun.

“I play the game. I like to have fun,” he said. “Obviously, I’m passionate, I’m competitive, I’m fiery. But there’s times I like to have fun. And knowing Jaylen was out and he was leaving the game with four or five minutes left, it was like, cool, they got pieces, but that was a big piece they don’t have down the stretch.”

Knicks guard Josh Hart looks on against the Boston Celtics in the first half of an NBA basketball game at Madison Square Garden on Monday, Feb. 27, 2023. Credit: Kathleen Malone-Van Dyke

It wasn’t just Tatum whom the Knicks frustrated last Monday. Boston misfired on 20 of its first 22 attempts from three-point range, finishing 9-for-42.

“Obviously, we got them,” Julius Randle said. “[Then] they let one slip away [against the Nets], so they’re going to have an edge coming in, but we feel great about our chances at well. So it should be a fun game.”

Fun hasn’t always come easily for the Knicks, but through this streak that has pushed them into fifth place in the Eastern Conference, there is a lightness and joy. The latest boost came from Randle’s game-winning three-pointer with 1.1 seconds left in Miami on Friday, which set off a wild celebration.

The Knicks are hesitant to look beyond the task directly in front of them, but it’s hard not to argue that they are emerging as a postseason threat.

“It’s good. I think the biggest thing is we’re just having fun playing,” Randle said. “Everybody is just enjoying being out there and competing at a really high level. Winning in the NBA is really hard, but we’re getting enjoyment out of doing the right things, building the right habits every game, getting better as a team. So I think that’s what’s keeping this thing fresh and the energy good.”

While Randle and Brunson have carried the load, there have been contributions up and down the roster. Hart has had a huge impact: The Knicks were 8-0 since he joined the team.

“We’re winning, so obviously things are coming together,” he said. “I feel like we have to continue to learn through wins. I think that’s the biggest thing. The second half of Miami, we got a little stagnant, ball stopped moving as much. Defensively, we could have been in better positions, helping each other out.

“So that’s the thing we have to focus on now. Looking forward, we’ve got to make sure we continue to grow. Obviously, we would rather grow in wins than losses. But sometimes when you’re on a win streak, that’s the hardest time to grow because everything’s going well and guys are making shots. You start to slip in some of the little things. So we have to make sure we continue to enforce those habits. When we do that, we’ll see where we are.”

Notes & quotes: The Knicks went 2-2 the previous four times Brunson missed a game this season. “He just woke up with some soreness,” coach Tom Thibodeau said. “They’ll reevaluate him [Monday] . . . I don’t think it’s anything serious, so we just want to make sure he’s good.” . . . Malcolm Brogdon (ankle) and Robert Williams (hamstring) were out for the Celtics.

Steve Popper covers the Knicks for Newsday. He has spent nearly three decades covering the Knicks and the NBA, along with just about every sports team in the New York metropolitan area.