The New York Knicks’ recent struggles took an emotional turn Saturday night, when coach Tom Thibodeau and forward Josh Hart engaged in a heated exchange on the sidelines during a 97-94 loss to the Golden State Warriors.
With the team without Jalen Brunson and sliding down the standings, frustration boiled over when Thibodeau and Hart were seen yelling at each other during a fourth-quarter timeout. Hart, who endured a miserable night with zero points on 0-of-7 shooting in 39 minutes, appeared visibly frustrated as he exchanged words with his coach, prompting Thibodeau to respond with his trademark intensity.
The nationally televised altercation was quickly broken up by assistant coaches and teammates, with Landry Shamet stepping in to break the tension. After the game, Thibodeau downplayed the incident, pointing to his close relationship with Hart and the competitive nature of the team.
“I love Josh, you know. Whatever gets us going, try to get us going.”
While such trades are common in high-stakes settings, they highlighted the mounting pressure on the Knicks, who have lost four of their last six games and rank among the NBA’s worst offensive teams after the All-Star break.