Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports

NBA Makes $2,000 Josh Hart Decision After Knicks-Celtics

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | Last updated Feb 24, 2025 6:09 PM ET

The New York Knicks are at the center of talking points on Monday after suffering a 118-105 loss to the Boston Celtics on Sunday afternoon.

One thing has been clear this season: the Knicks struggle when taking on the NBA's premier squads. They are winless against the Celtics, Cleveland Cavaliers and Oklahoma City Thunder -- the league's three best teams.

New York will certainly be in trouble come playoff time, assuming they can't work out their issues.

The woes against the top teams can be attributed to a few things. Many pundits are quick to point out Karl-Anthony Towns' defensive deficiencies at the center position. Jalen Brunson wore the blame as a leader.

Evidently, it feels like the Knicks just have more holes than other contending squads, which makes it difficult for them to compete in said matchups.

Knicks wing Josh Hart pinned the loss on effort, which he showed plenty of while scoring 20 points and adding 11 rebounds and nine assists with 8-of-14 shooting from the floor.

Hart did have one issue, though...

NBA makes Josh Hart decision after what he did against the Celtics

At one point, Hart was eager to turn the tide in the Knicks' favor, attempting to draw a foul in transition. He flopped, and it was quite obvious, as the video surfaced on social media.

trhiyrhk pic.twitter.com/IHHQehUsd4
— Kanye East (@KEast23799) February 23, 2025

"NYK’s Josh Hart was assessed a postgame Flopping fine of $2,000 upon league office review on Feb. 23 vs. BOS," the NBA shared.

NYK’s Josh Hart was assessed a postgame Flopping fine of $2,000 upon league office review for https://t.co/G4QsWhlmnn on Feb. 23 vs. BOS.
— NBA Official (@NBAOfficial) February 24, 2025

The league was quick to take action as they reviewed a multitude of moments and decisions, making many announcements over the course of Monday.

More concerning than Hart being struck with a $2,000 fine is the Knicks' inability to take down the NBA's top teams, as they feel just one tier behind the top clubs with seldom room to make immense improvements.

New York should hold its breath that Mitchell Robinson is the boost they need, or the issue could become quite concerning.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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