The Knicks are going to the Eastern Conference finals! Can you believe it?! They absolutely steamrolled the Boston Celtics in Game 6, in front of a Madison Square Garden crowd that was losing its mind! We’re talking a 25-year wait being over, the city is electric, and the players? They were floating. But hold your horses! Amidst all the insane celebrations, Josh Hart’s wife, Shannon Hart, dropped an all-timer on social media from what looked like the Knicks locker room, and it had every fan online absolutely howling with laughter.

Listen, Josh Hart went through wars this series. The dude took a beating – remember that nasty, bloody gash over his eye in Game 5? And then there was that super “weird” moment where Jaylen Brown got a little too familiar with Hart’s, uh, personal space. So, after the Knicks absolutely dominated the Celtics 119-81 in Game 6 to send them packing, Shannon Hart decided it was her time to shine. She hopped on social media, posted a picture of herself holding up a Shock Doctor’s Core BioFlex Cup – yup, an athletic cup! – and captioned it with perfect, legendary words: “he was ready.”

The whole thing was just chef’s kiss. After Jaylen Brown’s, let’s call it, questionable defensive tactics in Game 5 where he basically grabbed Josh’s crotch area, Shannon wasn’t about to let that slide. Her post was a straight-up hilarious way of saying, “Yeah, for Game 6, my husband came prepared for anything y’all wanted to throw at him… or grab at him.” It was the ultimate troll move, a playful jab that perfectly summed up how intense and downright wild this series got.

And the fans? Oh, they ATE IT UP. That post went nuclear almost instantly. The comments were pure gold. People were cracking up, like the fan who wrote, “You outta pocket for this one sis lol.“ Then there were the ones just losing it: “SHANNON LMAOOOOOOO.“ And of course, plenty of props for both Shannon’s humor and Josh’s beast mode on the court: “Haha… your husband is a freaking beast!! Love him.“

Shannon Hart’s always been awesome about backing her husband, and she’s not afraid to jump in with the fans and share her thoughts on X (formerly Twitter). That “weird” comment she made after the Game 5 crotch grab? That already had people talking. But this “he was ready” masterpiece, with the actual cup as a prop? That was some next-level, legendary behavior. And honestly, Josh was ready. The dude balled out and even broke a 53-year Knicks playoff record with a triple-double (10 points, 11 rebounds, 11 assists – first one since Clyde Frazier back in ’72!). Talk about showing up!

Hart & Thibs: A match made in hustle heaven

Seriously though, when you picture a Tom Thibodeau type player in your head, isn’t Josh Hart the first guy that pops up? The man is Thibs basketball. All that grit, that non-stop hustle, playing with so much heart it feels like it’s going to beat right out of his chest – that’s Josh Hart, every single night.

He’s the dude flying into the stands for loose balls, scrapping for rebounds like a madman (pulling down 8.4 RPG–as a guard!), and yeah, logging absolutely insane minutes. He actually led the whole league in minutes per game this season (37.6)! Hart even had a laugh about the new “minutes leader trophy,” saying it’s probably “the second-biggest trophy in history for Thibs. It’s Finals, then it’s: ‘My guy led the league in minutes.'” You just know Thibs loves that ironman stuff.

But it’s more than just playing a ton of minutes; it’s how he plays them. You see him battling through every screen, crashing the offensive glass for those extra chances that drive other teams crazy, and he’s always ready to guard whoever Thibs throws at him. Even when he and Thibs got into it on the sideline earlier this year, Hart was quick to say, “You all know me. You know my feelings towards Thibs… I love Thibs.” That kind of loyalty and buy-in? That’s what makes this whole thing click. And that’s not even the best part.

The guy can do a bit of everything – he’s like a Swiss Army Knife of sorts. He can guard bigger guys, he can bring the ball up if needed, he’ll hit a big three when you need it (he was shooting a solid 38.7% from deep in the playoffs before Game 6), and he just makes those winning plays that don’t always jump out at you in the box score. That triple-double in Game 6 against Boston – 10 points, 11 rebounds, 11 assists – was just the exclamation point. That was the first Knicks playoff triple-double since Clyde Frazier did it back in 1972! We’re talking legendary stuff here.

Here’s the real deal. what makes Hart so crucial for the Knicks: Jalen Brunson is the offensive wizard, no doubt. He’s the guy dropping 40, hitting daggers, carrying the scoring. But Josh Hart? He’s the guy who makes the whole system go. He’s the engine room.

Just look at this Celtics series. Hart gets his face busted open in Game 5, needs stitches, and still balls out for 24. He shakes off that Jaylen Brown moment and then comes back in Game 6 to deliver an all-around masterpiece. That’s just who he is. He’s the living proof of what Thibs preaches every day: “You have got to play for 48 minutes, both sides of the ball.” Josh Hart doesn’t just play it; he lives it. He’s the absolute heartbeat of this Knicks team, and they wouldn’t be anywhere near the Eastern Conference Finals without him.