After turning into a full-time starter for the New York Knicks last season, Josh Hart is back on the bench under new coach Mike Brown. Hart has primarily been a sixth man for the Knicks’ in their first five games of the campaign.
Speaking to Fred Katz and James L. Edwards III of The Athletic, Hart has made his feelings clear about his role for the Knicks. He prefers coming off the bench at all times rather than be a spot starter like in his previous stints with teams like the Los Angeles Lakers, New Orleans Pelicans and Portland Trail Blazers.
“I’m cool with not starting. That’s what I want to do for the season. For me, there’s a different way to approach it mentally. … If I’m not going to start, I’m totally cool with it. I don’t want to be, like, the next starter up because then everything is varying by game. I want more of a consistent role so that I can affect that role,” Hart said.
Hart averaged 13.7 points, 9.6 rebounds, 5.9 assists and 1.5 steals per game last season. Those were his career numbers in rebounds, assists and steals. He also set the Knicks record for most triple-doubles in a season with nine.
However, it’s a different story this season for the 30-year-old swingman. He’s averaging 5.0 points, 6.6 rebounds, 3.2 assists in just 23.0 minutes per game.
Hart Scores 14 in Win, Shares Nerve Damage Injury
The New York Knicks welcomed the Chicago Bulls at Madison Square Garden on Sunday. It was a rematch of their NBA Cup game last Friday, which the Bulls won.
Jalen Brunson didn’t want to suffer another loss, leading the Knicks to a 128-116 win. He had 31 points, five rebounds and three assists, while OG Anunoby contributed 21 points and four assists. Karl-Anthony Towns dropped a double-double of 20 points and 15 rebounds, while Mikal Bridges added 10 points, five rebounds and nine assists.
Josh Hart had his best game of the season so far, scoring 14 points off the bench and adding nine rebounds. Jordan Clarkson finished with 15 points as the Knicks handed the Bulls their first loss of the season.
After the game, Hart told reporters that his offseason surgery on his ring finger didn’t work and would need to get another one at the end of this season. If he undergoes surgery immediately, he would need three months to recover, a luxury the Knicks don’t have.
To make matters worse, Hart has been losing feelings in his finger because of the injury, as reported by SNY. It’s also causing numbness in some parts of his hand, which is a problem since his shooting hand is the one being affected.
Mike Brown Doesn’t Know About Hart’s Nerve Injury
After the New York Knicks’ win over the Chicago Bulls, coach Mike Brown was asked about Josh Hart’s nerve injury revelation. According to ESPN’s Tim Botemps, Brown was surprised to hear about it and told the media that it was the first time he’s heard about the injury.
Nevertheless, Brown assured fans that the team’s vice president for sports medicine, Casey Smith, is all over Hart’s recovery. He’s happy with the player’s performance against the Bulls, sending a warning to other teams to watch out when Hart’s finally healthy.
Brown had nothing but praise for Hart, who is expected to continue coming off the bench despite Mitchell Robinson being on a minutes restriction to start the season.
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