Josh Hart finally came out against the Pacers in Game 3

NBA

by Caroline McCarthy

Even the Knicks’ Iron Man needs a break.

With 8:05 remaining in the third quarter of Game 3 on Friday, Josh Hart made his way to the bench for the first time in the series.

Up to that point, Hart had played every minute of the series against the Pacers, bringing his total to 144 consecutive minutes over 12 straight quarters.

The Knicks were trailing the Pacers 75-66 when Hart sat while Deuce McBride participated.

He wasn’t on the bench for long, but returned to the game with 3:13 left in the third period.

His last break was in Game 6 against the 76ers, a game in which he played 46 minutes.

When Hart was previously asked about feeling burned out, he dismissed the idea.

“Our job is to play basketball,” he said Thursday. “You have people waking up at 6 a.m. doing 12-hour shifts. These people are tired. For us, we’re playing a game…we have to keep that in mind.”