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[Saba Sports News] New York Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau is notorious for pushing his core players to log heavy minutes — which is exactly why Josh Hart had some fun with a recent honor he received.
Hart was named the NBA’s “Minutes Champion” for leading the league in total minutes played during the regular season, averaging 37.6 per game.
He even received a trophy for the achievement. On Wednesday, Hart joked that the award holds special significance for anyone coached by Thibodeau.
“I think it’s the second most important trophy for Thibs in his career,” Hart said with a grin. “The first is his championship. The second is my trophy.”
Thibodeau’s demanding style has long been a talking point, and one of his starters even asked for a lighter workload earlier this season. But Hart doesn’t seem fazed.
He has carried his regular season load right into the playoffs, where he’s again logging nearly 38 minutes per game. In fact, three Knicks are averaging over 40 minutes per game this postseason — showing Thibodeau isn’t backing off when it matters most.