Tom Thibodeau takes Josh Hart’s tantrum in stride: ‘no-win situation’
ATLANTA — Clearly upset that he was pulled before he could get a triple-double, Josh Hart stormed off the court with 90 seconds remaining, but both he and coach Tom Thibodeau took the flare-up in stride.
“Obviously, for me that’s a no-win situation, because if I leave him, in he’s going to be upset about that,” Thibodeau said, smiling. “And if I take him out, he’s going to be upset about that. So I said, ‘Ah, what the hell? I’ll take him out.’”
Hart, who already holds the franchise single-season record for triple-doubles with nine, finished with 16 points, 11 assists and nine rebounds.
He was subbed out with a 19-point lead in the Knicks’ 121-105 victory Saturday over the Hawks, then went straight to the locker room in frustration.
Hart admitted to chasing the final rebound.
“That’s exactly what I was trying to do. I wanted to stay in to get the last one, but I wasn’t playing the game the right way,” Hart said. “I was trying to play for that. I didn’t really deserve it, and that’s probably why I didn’t get it.
“I was playing the game the wrong way at that point, so it is what it is.”
Last month, Hart broke Clyde Frazier’s single-season franchise record for triple-doubles — a mark that stood for 56 years.
Before that in a loss to Golden State, Thibodeau and Hart had an argument on the bench during a timeout that both downplayed.
The pair have been known to go at it, but have had a strong relationship since Hart’s arrival to the Knicks in 2023.
“His preparation is top tier,” Hart said Saturday. “Sometimes we’d like him to get out the office and enjoy life a little bit. He has an amazing house, so sometimes we’d like him to at least go home and enjoy his house.
“But just the preparation, his dedication to excellence and the process. He doesn’t believe winning starts at 7:30 p.m. when the game starts. He believes winning starts in the summer.”
With his 224th win with the Knicks on Saturday, Thibodeau moved past Pat Riley for sole possession of fourth on the team’s all-time winning list.
He’s now only behind Jeff Van Gundy (248 wins), Joe Lapchick (326) and Red Holzman (613).
“All the individual stuff, it’s a byproduct of the team working together. I’ve had a great team. I’ve got great players, it’s a great organization, so you share in all that stuff as a group,” Thibodeau said. “As far as Pat Riley, he’s unbelievable, probably the best to ever do it.
“I was fortunate to be on the same staff with [Van Gundy, who was Riley’s assistant], and I put him up there with anybody. Those guys had great impact on my coaching philosophy. Of course, Red Holzman and all the guys that have been here, it’s an honor to be the coach here.
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