Josh Hart’s ‘fierce’ rebounding prowess fueling Knicks run

The Eastern Conference’s leading rebounder isn’t a big man. Technically, he’s not even a forward. 

Here’s a hint: The player loves Mike and Ike candy and making fun of his superstar teammate.

Yes, Josh Hart, the Knicks’ do-everything 6-foot-4 guard, has the most rebounds in the postseason of anyone in the East. 

“Sometimes I don’t understand how he does it, but he just flies [in] out of nowhere,” teammate and close friend Jalen Brunson said Thursday, as the Knicks prepared for Friday’s Game 6 holding a 3-2 series lead in their Eastern Conference semifinal series against the Pacers.

“He gets the ball, and even when the ball doesn’t look like it’s obtainable. He’s right there.” 

Hart has been a crucial piece to the Knicks’ run, particularly in the wake of injuries to OG Anunoby, Julius Randle and Mitchell Robinson.

He has been an ironman, averaging 43.6 minutes per game.

He leads the entire conference in total rebounds this postseason with 134 and is fourth in rebounds per game at 12.2 — trailing Anthony Davis, Jarrett Allen and Nikola Jokic. Coach Tom Thibodeau used the word “fierce” to describe him multiple times Thursday. 

During the Knicks’ Game 5 rout, TNT announcer Brian Anderson said the ball just seems to find Hart. He was asked if it is the other way around, that he finds the ball. 

“It’s always a little of both. Hopefully 70-30 I find the ball,” said Hart — who is averaging 15.8 points, 4.6 assists and shooting 41.2 percent from 3-point range this postseason. “But sometimes it’s just the way the ball bounces or it’s deflected. Sometimes it’s just me going out there and thinking where it’s going to land or where it’s going to bounce off the rim and pursuing that spot. And I think at the end of the day to win, to be successful, you have to do the little things. You have to obviously play great defense, and you have to end possessions with a defensive rebound.”

It is somewhat ironic that Hart’s huge postseason has coincided with him spending a good portion of time as a small-ball power forward. During the regular season, he didn’t hide his frustration at having to play out of position there, but it hasn’t held him back from thriving at the 4, either. 

And yet … 

“I’m still not a 4,” Hart said. “I played a couple of possessions at 5. This season has been very interesting. There’s been times I bring the ball up, there’s times I guard another 5, setting screens and rolling and being the center. So I’ve played every position. 

“One thing [Villanova] Coach [Jay] Wright always told me before, ‘You’re not what they label you as, you’re a basketball player.’ And I think that’s my position, being a basketball player, and hopefully Thibs knows that I’m not a 4.”