Josh Hart explains thanking referee Scott Foster after Knicks' Game 2 win over Heat

05-04-2023
3 min read
(NBA Getty Images)

Just a little Hart to heart. 

Josh Hart has been a major puzzle piece to the Knicks, especially so during their playoff run. Whether it's starting or off the bench, the guard has provided a spark for New York — though he did spark a different kind of energy after the Knicks' Game 2 win over Miami.

The Knicks were the beneficiaries of a handful of questionable calls in the closing stages of the game, including a shot clock violation that shouldn't have been and a loose ball foul that maybe came from Hart himself.  Some felt like the floor may have been tilted in the Knicks' favor, and Hart didn't allay those fears. 

MORE: Why Heat couldn't challenge shot clock violation in Game 2

Cameras caught Hart after the game seemingly thanking referee Scott Foster, himself a common lightning rod of officiating controversy.

Hart took to Twitter to explain the exchange:

"Yup I did. Also told Curtis thanks and Mark thanks. I always thanks the refs after games," Hart tweeted, alluding to officials Curtis Blair and Mark Lindsay. 

MORE: Jalen Brunson explains 3-point celebration — kind of

The Knicks escaped Madison Square Garden with a gritty 111-105 victory in a game that didn't feature injured Heat superstar Jimmy Butler. The action shifts to Miami on Saturday with the series tied 1-1.

Eyes will be on Hart to see if he continues the pleasantries — and if any Heat players get in on them, too.