Krusty Jab: Josh Hart Compares Knicks-Nets Rivalry to SpongeBob SquarePants

Josh Hart compared the New York Knicks' rivalry with the Brooklyn Nets ... or perhaps what's left of it ... to the rollercoaster relationship between beloved animated characters SpongeBob SquarePants and Squidward Tentacles.

By Geoff Maggliocchetti

Mar 23, 2024; New York, New York, USA; Brooklyn Nets forward Mikal Bridges (1) drives past New York
Mar 23, 2024; New York, New York, USA; Brooklyn Nets forward Mikal Bridges (1) drives past New York / Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports

Josh Hart appears to believe that it'll take more than a hydro-dynamic spatula and Ol' Reliable to pull Mikal Bridges and the Brooklyn Nets out of their current predicament.

Hart's New York Knicks were the latest to take advantage of Brooklyn's downtrodden state, as they secured a winning season with a 105-93 victory on Saturday afternoon at Madison Square Garden. Brooklyn (26-45) continues to founder after moving on from its lead triumvirate of Kevin Durant, James Harden, and Kyrie Irving, having lost six in a row and sitting 5.5 games behind Atlanta for the fourth and final spot in the Eastern Conference Play-In Tournament.

In the aftermath of Saturday's game, the Knicks' fifth win in a row over Brooklyn, Hart put rivalries aside to sympathize with Nets star and former Villanova teammate Mikal Bridges, placing the latter in the role of curmudgeonly cartoon character Squidward Tentacles.

Mar 23, 2024; New York, New York, USA; Brooklyn Nets forward Mikal Bridges (1) drives past New York
Mar 23, 2024; New York, New York, USA; Brooklyn Nets forward Mikal Bridges (1) drives past New York / Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports

"It’s like that SpongeBob meme when Squidward is looking out the window and he sees SpongeBob and Patrick having fun,” Hart said of the state of the rivalry,per Kristin Winfield of the New York Daily News. “(Bridges) is Squidward.”

Hart refers to the internet meme that involves Squidward forlornly looking at the eponymous character of Nickelodeon's "SpongeBob SquarePants" running around carefree with his best friend Patrick Star through a darkened window. On the series, the eternally optimistic SpongeBob has a one-sided friendship with Squidward, who is often annoyed by his yellow, absorbent neighbor's goofy antics. Perhaps similar to SpongeBob,Hart has made an enthusiastic effort to recruit Bridges into the Knicks' fold, albeit to no avail.

Modern matchups between the Knicks and Nets are appointment viewing for fans of the Wildcats' men's basketball program: the Knicks' ongoing success is headlined by the efforts of Hart, Jalen Brunson, and Donte DiVincenzo while Brooklyn has put its trust in Bridges to lead them forward in the wake of the purge. While Bridges, involved in the Durant trade that sent the superstar to Phoenix, has responded well to the extended responsibilities (averaging 20.5 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 3.7 assists, all career-bests), metropolitan momentum firmly rests in the hands of the Knicks, who are tied for fourth place in the Eastern Conference entering Sunday play.

The Knicks (42-28) have a chance to sweep the Nets on April 12, when the Brooklyn visits for the penultimate game of the regular season. In the meantime, New York wraps up a brief homestand on Monday against the Detroit Pistons (7:30 p.m. ET, MSG).