Josh Hart’s play was so good Sunday night the New York Knicks couldn’t even tell he was dealing with an injury.
The Knicks super sub revealed he is dealing with a nerve issue in his hand that has affected his ability to feel the ball after their 128-116 win over the Chicago Bulls at Madison Square Garden.
Hart had 14 points, nine rebounds and three assists while helping New York (3-3) snap a three-game losing skid while also setting a new single-game season high in points.
Josh Hart Is Having A Nerve Issue In His Hand
Hart did not appear to struggle Sunday, but he has not looked himself over the Knicks’ first five games. Hart, who started 77 games for the Knicks in 2024-25 plus 14 more in the playoffs, has exclusively come off the bench for first-year Knicks coach Mike Brown and averaged just three points and seven rebounds in 23 minutes over New York’s 2-3 start.
Hart hinted at a physical ailment but declined to address his hand injury at first during his postgame media availability.
“I’m going through some adversity myself just physically,” Hart said. “I ain’t gonna talk too much about it. It is what it is.”
But then when pressed, Hart finally opened up, calling his affliction nerve damage in his hand.
“My nerve ending hasn’t really gotten back to what it was before,” Hart said. “There’s a little bit of tingling, a little bit of numbness in part of my hand. Hopefully at some point I’ll get that nerve back, hopefully sooner rather than later, but right now it’s just a process.”
Josh Hart’s Nerve Injury Was News To Knicks Coach Mike Brown
Knicks captain Jalen Brunson was asked what he saw from Hart on Sunday and offered a candid answer.
“We saw Josh Hart,” Brunson said. “The one we know and love.”
Yet, when asked about Hart’s ongoing struggles with nerve damage, Brown seemed caught off guard.
“It’s news to me,” Brown said.
That it is Hart, one of the Knicks’ selfless and emotional leaders who does it all — he can score, rebound, assist, provide energy and more — could make things dicey for the Knicks. That is especially true since New York remained relatively healthy during its 51-31 season and run to the Eastern Conference Finals in 2024-25.
But Hart looked no worse for the wear Sunday, and Brunson wasn’t the only teammate able to marvel at his ability to persevere against Chicago, which entered play 5-0 and had just rolled the Knicks 135-125 on Friday night at United Center.
“A lot of energy,” Knicks forward Karl-Anthony Towns said when asked what he saw from Hart on Sunday. “Getting those rebounds, making those tough, 50-50 plays and capitalizing on those opportunities. So shout out to Josh.”
So after watching Hart fill the stat sheet, while helping the Knicks bench score a season-high 46 points, Brown got excited at the prospect of having Hart at full strength at some point this year.
“He had 14 [points] and nine [rebounds],” Brown said. “So when he’s healthy, oh my gosh, look out.”
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