Knicks insisting 2-0 Finals lead means ‘nothing’

The Knicks are two wins away from their first NBA championship in 53 years. Don’t expect anyone inside the locker room to celebrate just yet.

Despite taking the first two games of the NBA Finals on the road against the Spurs, New York players have repeatedly emphasized that the series is far from over.

“It’s still 0-0 as far as we’re concerned,” Josh Hart said, via Stefan Bondy of the New York Post. “Being up 2-0 means really nothing.”

Hart knows what awaits the Knicks in Game 3.

The Spurs are expected to arrive at Madison Square Garden with a heightened sense of urgency as they attempt to avoid falling into a nearly insurmountable 3-0 hole.

“The Spurs are going to come out on Monday with an unbelievable amount of energy and desperation, and we’ve got to be better,” Hart said.

That mindset has become a defining trait of the Knicks throughout their postseason run.

According to The Athletic, a roster filled with accomplished veterans has largely checked individual egos at the door in pursuit of a common goal.

“You work on connectivity throughout the course of the year for moments like these,” coach Mike Brown said.

Star guard Jalen Brunson echoed a similar sentiment.

“In my mind there’s nothing really to celebrate yet,” Brunson said. “There’s still a lot of work to be done.”

The Knicks will return home Monday night for their first NBA Finals game at Madison Square Garden in 27 years. As Hart put it, “The Garden is going to be rocking.”