Jalen Brunson, Josh Hart and Donte DiVincenzo, former Villanova teammates affectionately known by some as the "Nova Knicks," are going supernova on the NBA this postseason.
They have all the ingredients of any overnight sensation. Of course, it's all built on the foundation of college teammates who won a national title together and are now competing for an NBA championship. How cool is that? It's also an unassuming trio, all at 6-foot-4 or shorter. None of them possess the prototypical size coveted in the NBA. None of them were lottery picks despite their college accolades.
They are the heart and soul of a blue-collar Knicks team with underdog qualities that are easy to admire. They are also doing historic things both individually and collectively that truly showcase how this is a once-in-a-lifetime story.
Here are 10 facts to familiarize yourself with the trio's incredible run-up to this point.
1. Threes company
According to the Elias Sports Bureau, Brunson, Hart and DiVincenzo are the second trio of college teammates to start an NBA playoff game together in the modern draft era (since 1966).
The other was Antoine Walker, Tony Delk and Walter McCarty, who won a playoff series together with the 2003 Celtics after they were teammates for two seasons at Kentucky. The Villanova trio won a title together in 2016 (DiVincenzo redshirted) and the Kentucky trio won a title in 1996.
2. One-of-a-kind
The Nova Knicks separate themselves from that Kentucky trio, though, by putting up bigger numbers and threatening to go deeper into the postseason. According to OptaSTATS, Brunson, Hart and DiVincenzo are the first trio of teammates from the same college to each score 20 points in an NBA playoff game.
They combined for 92 points in Game 1 vs. the Pacers, including 34 of the Knicks' 39 fourth-quarter points. It's the most points by any trio in a game this postseason.
3. Like Mike
I did not think we would be mentioning Jalen Brunson and Michael Jordan in the same breath this postseason but here we are. Brunson is the first player with four straight 40-point games in the playoffs since Michael Jordan in the 1993 Finals. Brunson is the only player ever with four straight games of 40 points and five assists in the postseason.
4. Ice in his veins
Brunson has been the steady force for the Knicks with close game after game this postseason. He has 43 points in clutch time (final five minutes and score within five points) this postseason, the most by any player through the first seven games of a postseason since Paul Pierce and Ben Gordon in 2009 (44).
5. Donte's Inferno
There's been plenty of clutch opportunities to go around for the Knicks and DiVincenzo has seized the moment. He's the sixth player on record (these stats go back to 1997) to make multiple go-ahead threes in the final minute of the fourth quarter in a single postseason, along with Ray Allen (2009), Rashard Lewis (2009), Michael Finley (2006), Robert Horry (2002) and John Stockton (1997). Anytime you're on the same list as Ray Allen and "Big Shot Bob" you're doing something right.
As a refresher, DiVincenzo got a 'double bang' call from Mike Breen with this three that capped a wild sequence, allowing the Knicks to steal Game 2 from the 76ers. He also hit the game-winning three in Game 1 vs. the Pacers on Monday.
THE DOUBLE BANG 🤯 @Divincenzo @MSGNetworks @KnicksMSGN pic.twitter.com/Js7iOupIXT
— NEW YORK KNICKS (@nyknicks) April 23, 2024
6. Hartbreaker
Not to be undone, Josh Hart hit what was ultimately the series-clinching three against the 76ers. His shot with 25 seconds left gave the Knicks a lead they would never relinquish in Game 6.
That gives the Knicks three go-ahead threes in the final minute of the fourth quarter this postseason, already tying a single-postseason record since this was first tracked in 1997. The 2006 Spurs, 2009 Magic and 2019 Warriors also did it.
Josh Hart's CLUTCH go-ahead 3 to send the Knicks to the next round 😤 pic.twitter.com/hCI8BRxF7L
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) May 3, 2024
7. All Hart
That's just the tip of the iceberg for Josh Hart, who is literally the epitome of this grit-and-grind Knicks team. He's somehow averaging 12.4 rebounds per game this postseason. That's the second-highest average in a single postseason all-time by a player 6-foot-4 or shorter, behind fellow Villanova alum (and Hall of Famer) Paul Arizin (12.7 in 1952).
Nikola Jokic is the only player with more rebounds than Hart this postseason, and the other 24 players in the top 25 are all 6-foot-7 or taller.
8. Hart and Soul of the Knicks
Relentless would be one way to describe Hart's impact, and it's not just on the glass. He has played the most minutes by any player through the first seven games of a postseason since Michael Finley in 2002. Remarkably, he's played every single second in every second half this postseason. His seven straight playoff games playing the entire second half is the longest streak in a single postseason in the last 25 years, per Elias.
9. New York City Marathon
If anyone was going to have a record for the above streak, it would be someone playing for Tom Thibodeau, who regularly runs up minutes for his top players. Hart has run 24.1 miles on the court this postseason, the most of any player in the NBA this postseason. He'll cross the threshold of a marathon distance (26.2) on Wednesday. While Hart leads the NBA in distance traveled overall and on defense (10.6), Brunson and his non-stop motor have the mark on offense (13.7).
10. Supernova
It all adds up to an offensive explosion for the big three. The Villanova trio accounts for 62 percent of the Knicks points scored this postseason, up from 46 percent in the regular season.
At this rate, the "Nova Knicks" could be a threat for an NBA championship to go with their NCAA title. They have the championship DNA and although it's improbable, who thought any of this would have happened?
