Knicks not getting big-headed despite historic playoff margins: ‘Yesterday is irrelevant’

The Knicks aren’t letting one blowout victory over the Philadelphia 76ers give them a big head — no pun intended.

They are fully expecting the Sixers to bounce back from a 39-point loss in Game 1 in an attempt to right their wrongs at Madison Square Garden in Game 2 on Wednesday.

“It’s pretty easy because yesterday is irrelevant. The only thing that matters right now is the present,” Josh Hart said after practice in Tarrytown on Tuesday. “We got to make sure we’re focused, have good attention to detail, make sure we’re prepared for tomorrow. “

The Sixers had just one day of rest following an emotional Game 7 to close-out the Boston Celtics in the first round, while the Knicks enjoyed three days off in-between games after handling the Atlanta Hawks in six.

Hart doesn’t believe the Sixers have thrown remotely close to their best punch.

“You know, that’s a good team. Obviously, they had an emotional Game 7, and I don’t know what their travel schedule was like and all that, but I’m sure they probably didn’t even go home. They probably went straight here,” he said. “They had physical and exhausting series in travel. So, you know, they’re gonna try to get their legs under them and come out with energy tomorrow. So we gotta make sure we don’t just match that, but exceed it.”

Miles McBride agrees the Knicks have to flush their landslide results from Game 1.

“Man, give God the glory. Can’t take it for granted being here. We’ve been here. We’ve lost. We’ve been up. We’ve been down,” he said after practice on Tuesday. “This is an experienced group, so we just can’t take it for granted. We’re locked in.”

Regardless, NBA fans and pundits alike are picking the Knicks to run through the East, even if they’re to get past the Sixers with ease and meet the Detroit Pistons in the conference finals. Hart’s not buying into narrative, even if his confidence is sky-high after cruising to four straight playoff victories.

“That stuff doesn’t matter. [For] Philly, Boston was a favorite in their last series, and [Philly] came back from down 3-1, you know what I mean? So, like, being the favorite means literally nothing. Every game you have to come in with a focus and attention to detail. And if you don’t do that, you can lose anybody in this league if you do that,” he said. “We feel like we can beat anybody, but it’s that mentality that you have to go out there and be present every single day. Not worried about the past, because that’s irrelevant. Not worried about what the future holds, because you have no idea. It’s about us being in the present.

“So we don’t really care too much about being favorites or All-Stars, All-NBA, and all, because at the end of the day, none of that really matters. And none of that matters if you win. No one remembers the leading scorer or how many All-Stars you had or how many All-NBA [honors]. They remember you being a champion, and that’s obviously the goal.”

MAX ATTACK

If the Knicks are going to replicate their success from Game 1, it’ll start and end with Sixers’ All-Star guard Tyrese Maxey. The Knicks held Maxey to just three-of-nine shooting for 13 points and two assists with four turnovers in 27 minutes of play in Game 1.

“I feel like the whole team was just locked in, honestly,” McBride said of defending the All-star guard. “Mikal [Bridges] started off on him really well, and then I came in, but there were times where other guys were matched up with him, and all of our antennas are up just guarding him as a team.”

The 25-year-old Sixers star averaged 28 points over his last 10 regular season games against the Knicks and averaged 29.8 points in the six games played through the 2024 Eastern Conference quarterfinals. Hart harped on Bridges being key in stopping Maxey’s scoring going forward.

“That was huge. Both of those guys [Mikal and Deuce] obviously are blessed enough athletically to be able to keep up with him, use their physicality, use their length to their advantage,” he said. “Maxey obviously is an offense unto himself, being able to break out and transition. You know, he’s tough [to guard], so they did an amazing job on him and have to continue it.”

CONDOLENCES

Mike Brown extended his condolences to Sixers’ head coach Nick Nurse, who was excused from team practice on Tuesday to attend the funeral of his older brother, Steve, who passed away unexpectedly ahead of Game 6 of the Sixers-Celtics series.

“I heard about his brother, and I’d like to pass my condolences along to Nick Nurse and his family, his brother’s family and all their friends. Life is precious,” said Brown. “You don’t wish that upon anybody. So I’d like to pass along my condolences to him and his family while they’re going through these times.”