Josh Hart led the New York Knicks with 15 rebounds, 6 assists, 4 steals, and 3 points in their 105-95 victory over the San Antonio Spurs in Game 1 of the NBA Finals on June 4, 2026 [1, 2, 3, 4]. At 31 years old, Hart's rebounding total was three more than any other player on the court, including Spurs star defender Victor Wembanyama who guarded him closely throughout the game [1, 2, 3, 4].
Despite scoring just one field goal, a layup early in the game, Hart's impact on the Knicks’ performance was strong. When he was on the floor, New York outscored San Antonio by 22 points, demonstrating his all-around contributions beyond shooting [4]. Knicks coach Mike Brown said, "He rebounded the basketball. He was great. He impacted the game in so many different ways for us. When you look at what he shot from the field, you wouldn’t think that he was probably the most impactful guy on the game last night" [1].
Hart emphasized a team-first approach, saying, "It takes humility and just a willingness to sacrifice. We’re in the NBA Finals – there’s millions of people watching... It’s easy to get wrapped up in human nature of wanting to get recognition... That’s not everyone’s calling and not everyone’s assignment. I know for me, that’s not really my assignment" [1]. Reflecting on his performance, Hart admitted he had moments of self-doubt, telling reporters, "There was moments I went home and I'm like, damn, am I ass? Do I suck as a basketball player?" [4].
The Knicks extended their postseason winning streak to 12 games, tying for the second-longest streak in NBA history, with a strong finish capped by an 11-0 run that sealed the Game 1 win [1, 2, 3]. Teammate Jalen Brunson praised Hart’s relentless energy: "His energy is just relentless, it doesn’t stop. I mean, he eats candy all the time. That tells you who he is. He’s a big kid with an absurd amount of energy" [1].
The Spurs featured many players making their NBA Finals debut. Spurs coach Mitch Johnson dismissed youth as a cause of late mistakes, telling reporters, "Old teams make bad decisions, too, at the end of games... if you can recognize it and make a better decision next time... we’ll try to help them with that" [1].
The Knicks and Spurs last met in the regular season on March 1, when Wembanyama primarily defended Hart and the teams were even while Hart played about 30 minutes [4].
The NBA Finals continue with Game 2 tonight, June 5, as the Knicks prepare to face the Spurs again for a chance to take a 2-0 lead in the series [1, 2, 3].
