Isaiah Hartenstein's hustle plays help Knicks even series with Heat: 'We needed them'

The Knicks made the hustle plays and were the more physical team in their Game 2 win over the Miami Heat on Tuesday night, and Isaiah Hartenstein was at the center of it all.

While Mitchell Robinson was the difference-maker in their first-round series against the Cleveland Cavaliers, he hasn’t been as effective early in this series, especially in Game 2, thanks to getting into foul trouble.

Hartenstein, who is the center for the secondary unit, put in 26 minutes to Robinson’s 21 to help the Knicks tie the series, 1-1.

While there were many players who contributed, like Jalen Brunson, RJ Barrett and Julius Randle, if you ask the team they’ll point to one possession in the fourth quarter that turned the tide for good.

“Hartenstein, man, getting all those boards,” Barrett said after the game. “And we were able to get a good shot off in the end. It was good he was able to give us those extra possessions. His effort as well as Josh Hart almost had a triple-double. Things like that are big for the team.”

The possession in question saw Hartenstein grab three offensive rebounds with the Knicks down 96-93 with less than six minutes remaining before he found Hart in the corner for a game-tying three.

“It was a good possession,” Hartenstein said. “It showed who we are as a team. No matter what happens, we stick together and we just keep going. I think that's what got us here and just being physical, playing together and just keep going.”

The Knicks outrebounded the Heat, 50-34 and 11-8 on the offensive glass in Game 2. Credit to that goes to Hartenstein (nine), Randle (12) and Hart (11) out hustling the Heat for extra possessions and it helped New York get back into the game.

With Brunson and Randle playing with injuries, the little plays that don’t show up on the scorecard lifted the Knicks -- and it started with Hartenstein in that fourth quarter.

“Isaiah, those were huge hustle plays he made. We needed them,” head coach Tom Thibodeau said. “Great screen to free up Jalen in the corner. Those things are unselfish and are winning plays. This is the type of series that it is, it’s hard fought on every play.”

“I get paid to make those energy plays,” Hartenstein said with a smile. “Especially in the playoffs, those little details count. And so I just try to make sure I'd always do those little details, especially in the playoffs. I think we did the little stuff to win the game.”

The Knicks now travel to Miami for Game 3 on Saturday, and Hartenstein’s high energy may play a big role again, especially if the team’s big scorers are at less than full strength.