MILWAUKEE — Josh Hart said it was “ridiculous” that he was ejected for his head kick on Friday against the Bulls, explaining that it was beyond his physical capabilities to make that type of maneuver.
“Obviously I’m off balance. My leg is going up before I even look at him,” Hart said. “But give credit to [referee] Scott Foster for thinking my athletic ability is so great that I was able to make that decision to kick him in a split second.”
Hart was stripped by Javonte Green at the end of the first quarter and was midair before his leg swung to hit the Bulls player across the face.
Josh Hart (R.) kicks Javonte Green during the Knicks’ loss to the Bulls on April 5, 2024. USA TODAY Sports via Reuters ConExplore More
Hart was then tossed by Foster, and it cost the Knicks as they were killed in the rebounding battle.
Hart suggested there was discrepancy in what Foster told him and his explanation to a pool reporter after the game, when the veteran official said “intent is not a criteria” for a Flagrant 2.
“Obviously sucks — it being taken out of my control. Flagrant 1 I think it probably should’ve been, something that was accidental,” Hart said. “But I’m not sure what he was thinking because he was later like, ‘Oh, intent doesn’t matter. … But then he told me I looked at him and kicked him which obviously implies that I intended to. I’m not sure what his thought process was. Because it was kind of two different stories. So it is what it is.”
Scott Foster explained to a pool reporter that intent didn’t factor into his decision. Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports Josh Hart called his ejection “ridiculous.” Charles Wenzelberg / New York PostHart suggested that Flagrant 2 calls should be determined by the NBA office in Secaucus to establish consistency.
“If you say I looked at him and kicked him, it gives you the assumption of, you made the decision to do that. I don’t think I even had time to make that decision. So I thought it was ridiculous. I don’t know if that rule is up to interpretation so hopefully if it’s a ruling like that to where a player is getting kicked out the game hopefully they can change that from the refs on the court who might have a different involvement in the game to people in Secaucus where it’s just a handful of people where the consistency is there. Isaiah [Hartenstein] got his head taken off two games before that [by OKC’s Kenrich Williams] and that was a Flagrant 1.”
Bucks coach Doc Rivers called Hart “the heart of the team” and the player didn’t dispute an expert opinion.
“He’s the doctor, so I guess so,” Hart said.
Bojan Bogdanovic was active Sunday after being a late addition to the injury report with a sprained left wrist, an injury sustained when he fell during Friday’s loss to the Bulls.
Bogdanovic has underwhelmed since joining the Knicks via trade two months ago, averaging 10.4 points — roughly half of his output before the deal from Detroit — while shooting 42 percent and just 35.3 percent on treys.
Bogdanovic had surgery on his other wrist — his shooting one — in 2020 with the Jazz, ending what had been probably the best season of his career.
OG Anunoby came out clean from his first game back again with the Knicks, avoiding his name on the injury report for the first time March 14 — and just the second time since January.
The forward returned from a nine-game absence on Friday following a setback to his surgically-repaired elbow, finishing with 12 points in 29 minutes on 5-for-8 shooting.
Anunoby said he was under a minutes restriction for an undetermined amount of time.
“I don’t know how long it’ll be going on,” he said. “Just listen to medical.”
