Ring Night Payback on Hart's Mind

Josh Hart remembers what it felt like to stand on the wrong side of somebody else's celebration—and he wants the New York Knicks to return the favor.

The defending NBA champions will receive their rings before opening the season at Madison Square Garden against a rebuilt Philadelphia 76ers team headlined by LeBron James and Jaylen Brown. For Hart, the occasion brings back memories of watching the Boston Celtics celebrate a championship before dismantling the Knicks on their ring night two years ago.

This time, Hart would prefer the Knicks play Boston's role.

"I would love for it to be a Ring Night-esque of Boston the other two years ago when we played them on Ring Night and they just beat the hell out of us," Hart told Heavy Sports in an exclusive interview.

Then Hart smiled at the possibility of doing the same to Philadelphia.

"I would love to do that that game," he said.

Boston raised its championship banner before facing New York to open the 2024-25 season, then won 132-109 while tying the NBA record with 29 made 3-pointers. That celebration became a warning for teams hosting banner nights.

The Knicks will have an opportunity to deliver a message of their own when the 76ers come to town. Hart expects the atmosphere to reflect the stakes.

"It would be fun," Hart told Heavy Sports. "The energy would be electric. Obviously, getting our rings would be super cool."

A Formidable Philadelphia Roster

The 76ers' offseason moves have turned a familiar Eastern Conference rival into what many consider a serious threat. Philadelphia acquired James in free agency and added Brown via trade with the Boston Celtics, pairing them with established stars Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey.

Hart acknowledged the new challenge.

"It fits them very well in terms of his style of play," he said of James. "Obviously, that adds another piece that we gotta try to gameplan for, to already having to gameplan for Jaylen Brown, two new pieces."

"We've been having to gameplan for Joel [Embiid] and Tyrese [Maxey] for the past couple of years we've had to play them in the playoffs, so it adds more complexity to their roster, and they got better," he added on Yahoo Sports Daily, as quoted by Newsweek.

The 76ers' anticipated starting lineup includes Embiid, Maxey, Brown, James, and guard VJ Edgecombe. The group features four All-Stars, two players with championship experience (Brown and James), and two league MVPs—James won four times, Embiid once.

The Knicks own recent playoff bragging rights over Philadelphia. They swept the 76ers in the Eastern Conference second round during their title run. Yet that history may mean little on a night when both teams are eager to make a statement.

Looking for His Place

The ring night matchup adds another layer of familiarity: Hart and James were teammates in Los Angeles. Hart was traded to the New Orleans Pelicans in 2019 as part of the deal that sent Anthony Davis to the Lakers.

Some celebrations hold extra weight between former colleagues, but Hart's focus appears measured as the game approaches.

"Obviously, that's an opponent we've had several playoff battles with the last couple of years," Hart said, as quoted by Heavy Sports.

He also expressed a desire to stay with the Knicks beyond this season, saying it would be "amazing" to finish his career in New York, where he is extension-eligible. At the same time, he stressed the Knicks' focus should remain on their own development.

"I think our focus is just being the best team we can be," Hart said, according to Heavy Sports. He pointed to internal growth as the primary goal for the season.

Hart also credited his father's advice and lessons from earning the rank of Eagle Scout for helping him stay grounded during the title run, a theme he has discussed throughout the past year.

Two Teams Set for a Defining Night

The Knicks enter the season with most of their core roster intact, losing only center Mitchell Robinson, who signed with the Celtics in the summer. The 76ers, meanwhile, have reloaded around Embiid and Maxey in a way that could reshape the Eastern Conference race.

Other contenders, including the Miami Heat, the Cleveland Cavaliers, and the Celtics, will also be watching the opener as a tone-setter for the conference. But for one night, the spotlight will be on the two teams in New York's Madison Square Garden, with Hart hoping to create that marquee property memory that lasts.

"Ring night's special," Hart said, as captured by Heavy Sports. "You get your ring, but then you got to go out and play a good team. It's a fun challenge," he said.

For Hart, the message is simple.

As he told Heavy Sports: "We want to win. We want to hoist the banner. I would love to do that that game."