Knicks' Josh Hart isn't the biggest man on the court, but good luck getting a rebound against him

Josh Hart caught everyone’s attention in Game 1 of the NBA Finals when he grabbed a game-high 15 rebounds — three more than San Antonio’s 7-4 center Victor Wembanyama — in the Knicks’ victory.

But the 6-5 Hart has always been an excellent rebounder, despite being undersized. In fact, he’s got a reputation for being one of the best rebounding wings in the NBA.

“He’s maybe the best rebounder ever under 6-6 that I can remember in the NBA,’’ MSG Network Knicks studio analyst Wally Szczerbiak said of Hart.

Hart, 31, has averaged 7.0 rebounds per game for his nine-year career, and his 7.4 this year was second among guards, behind 6-8 Luka Doncic’s 7.7. He’s upped his rebounding game even more in the playoffs, averaging 9.2 rebounds per in 49 career playoff games entering Game 4 of the Finals on Wednesday night. In this year’s playoffs, he was averaging 8.9 rebounds per game entering Wednesday, second-most on the Knicks, behind Karl-Anthony Towns’ 10.6.

Although scoring is the statistic most people look at when evaluating players, Szczerbiak believes rebounding is one of the biggest keys to winning.

“With the analytical uptick in the NBA, and in all sports in general . . . getting your hands on the ball more often than the other team, that’s like gold,’’ Szczerbiak said. “That’s the most important analytical measurement, and it’s very simple: the more possessions we get, the more opportunities we get to shoot threes to make points.

“When you can get extra possessions and offensive rebounds, that leads to, just, backbreaking extra points,’’ Szczerbiak continued. “The other team . . . if they don’t secure the rebound after playing good defense, and forcing you to miss, they might as well have allowed you to score on the first attempt.’’

Offensive rebounds, Szczerbiak said, are like found money.

“I know the Knicks coaches, all their analytical coaches, they teach the players anytime you get an offensive rebound, that’s like finding $20 on the side of the road,’’ he said. “And immediately turn it around and try to make this a three. Try to get the ball to the three-point line immediately.’’

Of course, defensive rebounds are big, too. And Hart is good at those, as well. Szczerbiak pointed to some key rebounds Hart had in the fourth quarter in Games 1 and 2 against the Spurs.

“San Antonio was struggling to score, but San Antonio is a good offensive rebounding team, and they attacked the offensive glass,’’ Szczerbiak said. “And there were some of those rebounds that kind of bounced up there, and they were 50-50 rebounds, and then you got Josh Hart coming out of the pack with ‘em. And not only does he come out of the pack, he starts the fast break, because he can handle the ball and push it up the floor.’’

After his big game in Game 1, foul trouble limited Hart to just 18 minutes (zero points and six rebounds) in Game 2. But he rebounded — metaphorically and literally — in Game 3, when he played 34 minutes, 55 seconds, and had 16 points (on 6-of-10 shooting) and a team-high nine boards.

But how, at his size, did Hart become such a prolific rebounder?

“Heart [not Hart] over height,’’ said Hofstra men’s basketball coach Speedy Claxton, who’s been watching the Knicks’ playoff run from afar. “I mean, that’s what it is. He’s heart over height.’’

Claxton, who is 48, is connected to Hart in that they both played college basketball under coach Jay Wright. Claxton played for him at Hofstra and Hart at Villanova. But Claxton also identifies with Hart as a guard who could get rebounds.

“When it comes to rebounds, it’s all about a ‘want to’ mindset,’’ he said. “You’ve got to want the basketball. And then go get it.’’

Claxton said while there are techniques, and an understanding of how to position oneself for where the ball will go when it comes off the rim, there’s just simply a knack to being a good rebounder.

“Some people have it, some people don’t,’’ he said. “If you can follow the flight of the basketball — which most people don’t — then you can kind of see where it’s gonna hit and where it’s gonna come off. And you can, if you’re quick, you can get there.’’

According to Szczerbiak, who, at 6-7, was more of a three-point shooter and scorer than a rebounder, one of the biggest reasons Hart is so good at rebounding is that he has strong hands.

“Anytime he gets his hands on or around the ball, he secures it immediately,’’ Szczerbiak said. “So he can outfight a lot of people for it. And then I just think . . . rebounding is a mentality. You have to think ‘rebound.’’’

Although youth coaches harp on their players to box out when a shot goes up, Szczerbiak said the best rebounders don’t always automatically do that.

“They pursue the ball, and they read where it’s coming off the rim,’’ he said. “And I think that’s what Josh Hart is really good at . . . and he just has that tenacity and that gift to pursue it and get to the ball quick, quicker than others. That’s kind of what makes him so great.’’

Szczerbiak said Knicks coach Mike Brown clearly values rebounding — and defense — and as such, likes to have Hart on the floor. He recalled when he was traded from Seattle to Cleveland in 2008, toward the end of his playing career, Brown was the coach of the Cavaliers, and he called Szczerbiak into his office and told him to work on improving his rebounding.

“He said, ‘Wally, I need you to rebound,’’’ Szczerbiak said with a chuckle. “And I was like, ‘Rebound? I mean, I got banged up ankles, I got a bad knee. Isn’t that someone else’s job?’ And he’s like, ‘No, I think with your physical strength, 6-7, 250, if you can rebound your position . . . that can help you get on the floor more with LeBron [James].’’’

By Colin Stephenson

colin.stephenson@newsday.comColinSNewsday

Colin Stephenson covers the Rangers for Newsday. He has spent more than two decades covering the NHL and just about every sports team in the New York metropolitan area.